Casee
Nalini Singh
2017 Releases: Silver Silence, Cherish Hard, Archangel’s Viper
It should come as no surprise that Nalini made it on my list. She has been on my best-of lists every year since I first started reading her. I am obsessed with her, her books, the Psy/Changeling series, and the Guild Hunters series.
Lexi Blake
2017 Releases: Revenge, Love Another Day, Sleeper, Smoke and Sin
Lexi is probably my favorite author of 2017. I discovered her in 2016 and I have never looked back. Ruthless is the first book of Lexi’s that I read. I fell in love with the Lawless siblings right away. That lead me to her Masters and Mercenaries series. I was a bit put off when I read Ian and Charlotte’s book because of the D/s, but I quickly discovered that this series was just as good as her Lawless series.
Elle Kennedy
2017 Releases: Midnight Target
Elle Kennedy is one of my favorites. I love the Killer Instinct series as well as the Outlaw series. I didn’t love all the books in the Killer Instinct series, but Elle pulled me into that world and didn’t spit me out until I read the last book. Her Outlaw series is also to die for. I’ve read quite a few authors that write dystopian romance she she’s up that as one of the best. She’s also one half of Sarina Bowen. I have almost all her books, I just haven’t read them yet.
D.B. Reynolds
2017 Releases: The Stone Warriors: Kato, Relentless (novella)
Where have I been that I missed D.B. Reynolds for so long? I am so into paranormal romance that I don’t know how I missed her. Her heroes are to die for and her heroines are tough-as-nails. Sometimes the heroine even outshines the hero. I love it. She has two series that I’m reading. Vampires in America and The Stone Warriors. I fell in love with D.B.’s books instantly.
Christine Feehan
2017 Releases: Power Game, Dark Legacy, Leopards Blood, Bound Together, Shadow Reaper.
This woman knows how to release books. Five books in a year? One thing I love about Feehan is her ability to write so many books without sacrificing originality. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but Feehan introduced me to the paranormal world that I love. Dark Prince was the first paranormal book I ever read which was back in 2000. I haven’t looked back. I adored Bound Together which brought the Sisters of the Heart series to a close. Another thing I love is that she ends her series when it’s time to end it. Sure, there is a spinoff of Sisters of the Heart, but that didn’t detract from the book at all.
Holly
Only 5? Ugh.
Sarina Bowen
2017 Releases: Good Boy, Hard Hitter, Pipe Dreams, Stay, Bountiful, Temporary, Man Hands, Hello Forever, Goodbye Paradise
While some of her books work better for me than others, I’ve yet to read a book by Bowen I didn’t like. While some readers are all about the hero, for me a story is made by the heroine. Bowen writes fantastic women. They’re strong and independent, know their own minds and have fabulous senses of humor. While I love her heroes, her heroines keep me coming back for more.
Ilona Andrews
2017 Releases: Magic Binds, White Hot, Wildfire
Yes, I’m still obsessed with Ilona Andrews. No, I don’t expect to get over it anytime soon. I don’t know what to say about this writing pair, except they’re amazing. I get pulled into each and every book. Each world is vivid and bright, each character comes alive. Humor, hope, love…Andrews gives it all.
Kristen Ashley
2017 Releases: The Hookup, The Time in Between, Complicated
Kristen Ashley is the author I re-read the most. Since I discovered her in 2014 (2013?), I’ve read her books hundreds of times. There have been months where I read nothing but KA’s backlist. She had 3 releases this year and I was dying for each and everyone. She has a gift for storytelling. I’m always pulled into her books, living the lives of her characters right alogn with them. Her books aren’t perfect, but they’re the perfect escape. I look forward to each and every release.
Nalini Singh
2017 Releases: Silver Silence, Cherish Hard, Archangel’s Viper
Always a favorite, Singh never does me wrong. Her flawless world-building and strong relationships always pull me in. I can’t wait to fall into her books. Whether it’s PNR, UF or Contemporary, I always know I’m going to get a great story.
Patricia Briggs
2017 Releases: Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson #10), Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson #9, mmp release)
Briggs is another author who never lets me down.She’s writes kickass women who are strong and compassionate, plus men who respect them for who and what they are. Her world-building is amazing, and the way she interweaves her two series leaves me in awe. I just wish she wrote faster.
Rowena
Here are my top 5 favorite authors of 2017.
Sarina Bowen
2017 Releases: Good Boy, Hard Hitter, Pipe Dreams, Stay, Bountiful, Temporary, Man Hands, Hello Forever, Goodbye Paradise
Sarina Bowen is one of my favorite authors of all time. She writes my kind of feel good contemporary romances that never fails to hit me with feels and just gives an emotional roller coaster like no other. I love all of her books, her characters, the settings of her books and this year she really pulled out all of the stops because she came out with plenty of books and each and every single book I have enjoyed. She’s so good and if you haven’t tried any of her stuff, you should fix that. Add that to your reading goals for 2018 because trust me, she’s great.
Lauren Layne
2017 Releases: An Ex for Christmas, Ready to Run, I Knew You Were Trouble, Walk of Shame
Like Sarina Bowen, Lauren Layne is one of my favorite authors. For the past couple of years, ever since I read my first book by her, really, she’s been one of the authors that I look forward to each and every single time that she releases a book. Where Sarina Bowen writes great small town, outdoorsy contemporary romances, Lauren Layne writes fabulous big city romances with sharp characters who are smart and sophisticated and just all around fun. Each release solidifies my love for her work. She’s the bomb, for real.
Nalini Singh
2017 Releases: Silver Silence, Cherish Hard, Archangel’s Viper
I was late in discovering Nalini Singh. She was almost done with the Psy-Changelings series before I started reading them and holy cow, her ability to write such a complex world and still have a banging romance in each and every single book is quite the achievement. She wrote great books that I read in 2017 and that is probably why she’ll be a long standing favorite of mine. I hope she writes forever.
Emma Chase
2017 Releases: Royally Matched, Royally Raised, Royally Endowed
Emma Chase is a great writer. She writes contemporary romances with humor, heart and so much love that it’s hard for me to not love the hell out of all of the books that I read by her. Every book that I read by her in 2017, I have greatly enjoyed. I have high hopes for the Emma Chase 2018 releases and I have every faith that I’ll enjoy the heck of those books too. I’m so anxious for more.
Sarah MacLean
2017 Releases: The Day of the Duchess
Sarah MacLean wrote my very favoritest book of 2017. She wrote a story of second chances, fraught with drama and a heroine who fought for her freedom in a time where women were considered chattel to their husbands. That book hit me in every feel in my body and made me so stinkin’ happy at the end that that story has stayed with me long after I finished it. It was such a great story and I’m very much looking forward to what she has in store for the new year.
Honorable Mentions: Lenora Bell, Jessica Lemmon, Tessa Dare and Lucy Parker. All of these authors have written fantastic books that I enjoyed in 2017 and all deserve a mention.
You have such a great GREAT list of authors here and so many I love too. Nalini Singh Is AMAZING, she can cross genres so well, no other author does it like she does. And she writes the best shifters!!! D.B. Reynolds is awesome, as well as Kristen Ashley and Sarina Bowen.
I agree with your choice of Lauren Layne. I liked Sarah Maclean’s book, too, but she can be a hit or miss for me. She occasionally writes heroines that are very hard to like. This wasn’t the case with Seraphina. My other favorite authors this year were Julie James, Meredith Duran, Lisa Kleypas, Sarah Morgan, Joanna Bourne and Sherry Thomas.