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  1. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by California View Post
    You might like the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. There’s a little romance but it is not the focus of the story. Middle aged woman in Botswana opens her own detective agency and has to figure out how to keep it solvent. There are the mystery components which can be a touch dark, but overall the series has warmth, humor, and wonderful character development.
    Thanks! I've heard of this several times, but don't think I've ever read any yet. I love the characteristics you mentioned in the last sentence.

  2. #12
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    Apr 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by ahisma View Post
    I think what you are looking for are non-romantic beach reads. I googled and found a few lists - looks like a lot of options out there.
    Thank you! I knew there must be a name for this type of book. I'll see what I can find using that search term.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Thanks to everyone for the quick replies! I'm off to the library to see what's on the shelves now.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
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    Salt Lake City, Utah.
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    Do you like mysteries? Carl Hiassen books are truly funny and always end well. Some romance in there but not bad. Also Janet Evanovich-One for the Money, that series is really funny. The earlier ones are much better (there are 20+ of them).
    Mom to:
    DS '02
    DS '05
    Percy--the wild furry child!!! 2022----
    Simon--the first King Charles cutie 2009-2022
    RIP Andy, the furry first child, 1996-2012

    "The task of any religion is not to tell us who we are entitled to hate but to teach us who we are required to love."

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    MA.
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    4,231

    Default Does this exist: romance novels minus the romance?

    My FIL introduced me to the Brendan Chronicles by Ginny Dye as he knows I love reading anything and everything Civil War era. I flew through them during covid. There are 19 in the series currently and she continues to write. She’s working on the 20th now. They are wonderful historical fiction. The characters are really fleshed out and lots of changing views. Many issues raised are front and center the past few years as well.

    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/g...an-chronicles/


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Mommy to my 2 sandy boys

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    **If you live in the New England area and want to join the local Yahoo group for BBBers, please PM me for more info!**

  6. #16
    ang79 is online now Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Jan 2009
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    5,161

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    I like British chick lit for escape books. Sophia Kinsella, Jill Mansell, and Jenny Colgan are favorites. There is some romance but other relationship drama as well, always a happy ending, and fun British talk. I found Jennifer Bohnet on Kindle Unlimited during Covid and now have a strong desire to visit the French Rivera.


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  7. #17
    petesgirl is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    Utah
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    I just read 'Finlay Donovan is Killing It' for a book club. It's got a love triangle, but also a little mystery and comedy.
    Mama to :
    DS1 (July 2011)
    DD (Feb 2014-June 2015)
    DS2 (Apr 2017)

    "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it."
    --Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird)

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    Midwest
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    I agree I think you'd like Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I have mostly outgrown her writing (haha I used to sneak romance novels from my mom as a tween so I've been reading her forever) but she has a lot of more mature characters especially her more recent stuff. She is with a major publisher so should be widely available at the library.

    Emma Chase is another good one.

    My favorite for unique and interesting story lines is Aly Martinez, she's on Kindle Unlimited, all of her stories are great but they are more 'romance-y' but with more angst than the others mentioned.
    Angie

    Mom to
    DD- 9/09-9/09
    DS- 2011 DS2- 2012 DS3- 2015 DD-2019

  9. #19
    fauve01 is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Sep 2003
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    CA.
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    a book i recommend all the time is "happiness for Beginners" by Center. It's great!

    Also Check out Class Mom. it's a light, sarcastic, fun read. if you like it there are a few more in the series (newest coming out this month i think).

    Last month i read "Lessons in Chemistry" and it was the best book I've read in such a long time! Don't judge this one by the cover.

    One that just jumped to mind is an older book called "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Simonson. it's fantastic.

    In the Spring i read "The Sweeny Sisters" by Dolan -- def the best of her books.

    A couple authors you might check out in the "Adult Contemporary Lit" or romance category are Susan Wiggs, Susan mallery, Heather Webber, Jennifer Weiner (her older books are much better than her newer ones IMO--start with Good in Bed and In Her Shoes), Sarah Addison Allen, Juliette Fay, Catherine Ryan Hyde (esp Allie & Bea), Lorna Landvik, Beth O'Leary (esp "the Flatshare), Barbara Delinsky, Maeve Binchy. Oh also love Lynn Kurland but that's def more romance --not smutty.

    I would say Jodi Picoult isn't a romance writer, but her books are usually really compelling and easy to read. Usually on some issue that's not black and white and the story is told from the POV of several characters. I would start with My Sister's keeper, and then Plain Truth or Leaving Time.

    HTH.

  10. #20
    klwa is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    You might enjoy the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. There is some romance added, but the protagonist (Thursday) is mid/late 30s and a war veteran. She's a member of British Special Ops, literary division and has to hop into books at times. The first book is called the Eyre Affair.
    -Kris
    DS (9/05)
    DD (8/08)
    DD (9/12)

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