Romance – Michele Lenard

All Souls Trilogy – Deborah Harkness

Diana is renowned historian specializing in the origins and evolution of Alchemy. She’s also a witch, albeit one who never learned the craft. Matthew is a scientist studying DNA. He’s also a vampire. I avoided this series for years because I didn’t want to get caught up in several lengthy books, and I was tired of YA novels, especially those with vampires, witches and other supernatural creatures. Turns out the only one of my expectations that proved true was that this was a series of lengthy books. Despite the fantasy elements it is both real and raw, uplifting and tragic. It is suspenseful, it is enlightening, and it is one of the most beautifully articulated love stories I have ever read. Don’t judge this book by its title like I nearly did.

Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabaldon

Jamie and Claire continue to share a rare bond, which I think serves as an example for all the young adults around them. But for the first time Claire contributes to this bond verbally, so I felt a stronger sense of the panic and loneliness she must have endured without Jamie, and the intensity of her need for him.

Obsidian Series

My first impression about this scenario was “another demon, vampire, fantasy plot –why can’t we move on from that?” However when I thought about it superheroes are aliens, Harry Potter is a wizard, and even my favorite book series (Outlander) has a fantasy time travel element to it, so the supernatural doesn’t have to disqualify a book from being good. And actually, it was good. Take away the whole alien component and it’s a nice little trip back to the emotional roller coaster that is first love. Or to your younger self, where decisions were made based on emotion, not practicality or logical thought.

Voyager – Diana Gabaldon

How lonely and painful would it be to live a life devoid of emotion? Any emotion, as Jamie has without Claire. And when that emotion tentatively returns and Jamie lets himself experience joy I was scared for him, because as he knows when you open yourself to true happiness you also expose yourself to true loss, and if you’ve been there before you wonder if you can survive it again.

Dragonfly in Amber – Diana Gabaldon

Whether it be through wit, charm, humor or conviction Jamie commands the attention of those around him, and it’s as a leader that he seems whole as a person. But it’s his love of Claire that makes him whole as a man, and I love that while on the surface he seems to be the stereotypical strong male his greatest strength actually comes from Claire.

Outlander – Diana Galbadon

I’ve never been a huge romance fan, mainly because I don’t like thinking I’ll know the outcome of a book before I’ve read it. But I have always liked strong, outspoken female characters, and been intrigued by the men who have the courage to love them, and that is what initially attracted me to this story.