There’s no doubt that Lisa Kleypas can write the heck out of a story. Whether you’re in historical England or you’re in modern day Texas, she has the ability to wrap you up in stories that you fall in love with. Yes, she’s that good.
If you haven’t read anything by her then I highly recommend that you start because you won’t regret it.
But for those of you guys who have read her books, which genre do you guys prefer reading? Do you guys prefer her contemporaries over her historicals and why?
I’m in both camps. I love anything that she writes and I’ll read anything she puts out. I love her historicals just as much as I love her contemporaries and I look forward to each release. I’ve heard others say that they don’t care for her contemporaries or even some who couldn’t get into her historicals. Though they are far and in between, I have to wonder what their reasons are.
So let’s discuss.
I really couldn’t chose as I like them both, but they do read like two completely different authors. I know that confusses some of her fans. And I understand her new contemporary series will be written in third-person, so yet another writing style for her! I can’t wait. I devour everything by this author with no complaints.
I am contemporary. I don’t read very many historicals. I LOVE her contemps though! I should probably try one of her historicals.
Few months ago I would have said I love her contemporaries more (having then read only one historical). But now I’ve read more historicals from her and I really love both genres. She’s a lovely author!
You know, I’m torn on this. I re-read her contemporaries more often than her historicals. But I adore her historicals too. Especially the Wallflowers.
But since Jack Travis is probably my all time favorite romance heroes, I’d go with contemporaries. I guess.
Tough question!
Well, I will be the first to come out and say that I hate her contemporaries. I thought they got better as they went along, but all in all, I thought they sucked. And I feel bad about it because I wanted to love them. Her historicals make me sigh, but her contemps just depress me. I love contemporaries in general and I wanted to love hers, but they seem more like women’s fiction rather than romance. It was also the first point of view writing and it wasn’t what I was expecting, but after so many years, I shouldn’t have to feel like I am reading a completely different person.
Take Nora and JD Robb, I love both series and they are different. But the writing is similar and keeps me coming back for more.
I just picked up one of her books from my local used bookstore, and am looking forward to reading it, it’s Sugar Daddy, a Contempary… I’m not a huge fan of historicals, but depending on how I like this one, I may try one 🙂
I will read anything she writes.
I really enjoy her historicals but it’s her contemporaries that just have that “wow” factor for me. They’re just so darned good!
I enjoy both, though it took me awhile to adjust to the first person narrative. I actually have enjoyed her contemporaries more than her latest historical series, which hasn’t done much for me. (With the caveat that I haven’t read the third one yet.) — willaful
I had until recently just read her historicals. My first book was LADY SOPHIA’S LOVER from the Bowstreet series. I loved it so much I had to go the library and collect the backlist.
I admit I was unsure I’d enjoy her contemporary novels, but started with SUGAR DADDY. Very happy that I did, because it did not disappoint. My favorite in that series is SMOOTH TALKING STRANGER. She is amazing in both sub-genres.
Though I enjoyed her contemporaries (especialy Blue Eyed Devil) i prefer her historicals. She really is a Queen of historicals 😉
i’ve only read her historicals. i’ve never been tempted to pick up her contemporaries but they’ve been getting good reviews so i might have to look into it 🙂
I’ve read both her historical and contemporary and though I love them both, I definitely side with her contemporary. I love them for the very reason others do not – the complexities that makes them more fiction than romance. Writing in the first person also adds to the story have a more autobiographical tone. I’m not fond of stories written in 1st person in romance as not many heroines are interesting enough for me but hers are not the usual suspect and the romance – not of the normal approach. My fave is still Sugar Daddy which was also the one I was most reluctant to read. So sad Hardy dropped off.
In short ( i know, too late), I read her historical for the comfort – you know what to expect there and she doesn’t disappoint. I read her contemporary for the unknown. Since the category is still knew to her, I cannot pigeonhole her stories and that makes them exciting.
Rowena – yep, her new series (per her website) is called the “Friday Harbor” series, set in San Juan Island, off the Washington coast. I read somewhere that LK had announced it will be written in third-person, but not sure where I read that now! That series wont be released until the Hathaway series is completed, so I guess that means in 2011 we will see her next contemporary.
I’ll check those out. Well, if I decide to do the whole Historical thing 😀
I prefer her historicals – I love them! So far her contemporary voice doesn’t quite work for me. I recognize that the contemporaries are well-written, etc., I just don’t enjoy reading them. I really thought I was going to throw Blue-Eyed Devil across the room but I stuck with it.
I haven’t read Smooth Talking Stranger and I’m thinking I might like it better than the first two, at least from what I’ve heard around the blog-o-sphere. If not, I give up.
The historicals are consistently awesome! I’ve never read one I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. :o)
I don’t read many contemporaries, less women’s fiction, so I debated but finally tried Blue-Eyed Devil upon friends’ recommendations, and liked it a lot, and read the rest, and will read the new series. First person I have no problem with, so that’s not an issue for me. I did think of these contemps more women’s fiction, and gave them to my sister to try as that’s her favorite genre, waiting to see what she thinks.
As far as the historicals, my favorite genre, and I never miss any of Lisa’s books. Some are better than others, as with most authors, but many of hers are favorites, and Dreaming of You is in my top 3 all time list. The others I enjoy well enough, even as comfort reads as someone else mentioned.
I can’t say which I like better. I love them both equally. She’s a fabulous talent, writing third person in historicals or first person in contemporaries.
I love both her contemporary and historical series. Her contemporaries are so wonderful because they include real life situations. They aren’t just fluff. Her historicals also have doses of reality while maintaining the fantasy of life and love in times gone.
By the way, does anyone know if we’re going to get Joe’s Story? Because on the web page it says that after the Hathaway series, a new contemporary series is going to start. And I am REALLY looking forward to seeing what she does with Joe and who his soul mate is.
KarLyn,
LK is writing a new contemporary series in third person? I didn’t know that. That bit of news excites me like nothing has in the past week! Thanks for the heads up, I must go and research this bit of news.
Natasha A.
If you ever decide to give her historicals a shot, I say start with Dreaming of You or Suddenly You. Both books are fantastic!
Maija,
What historicals have you read so far? Isn’t she great?
Kati,
Jack sure is one the best heroes I’ve ever read too. I heart him so much!
Gabriela,
I’ve heard the same thing. The readers who aren’t fans of her contemporaries more or less aren’t fans of first person.
Princessara,
Cool, I really enjoyed Sugar Daddy and I’d love to hear how you end up liking it. Her contemps are great!
Tracy,
For me, I always like whatever comes out last…if it’s a contemp then it’s the contemps that I want to reread if it’s a historical then I’m all about this historicals. I’m a fickle creature like that.
Willaful,
You know, I started the second book in the latest historical series and I still haven’t finished it. I keep picking up other books to read. I haven’t read the third book either. I will though, soon.
Armenia,
My favorite contemp is Smooth Talking Stranger too. That Jack Travis is something else. YUMMA!
Michelle,
You totally should.
I have only read her historicals till now but i have her first two contemps in my pile and am looking forward to reading Jack’s book based on all the fab reviews I have read about him. What is keepingme back from reading them is actually Sugar Daddy. I think its a book in parts and it takes me ages to get into those types of books. I like plunging straight into the action and prefer going back to childhood events through memories.
I enjoy both, but her historicals don’t strike me as all that different than anybody elses; her contemporary books do. They don’t just have boy meets girl, they also deal deftly with current social issues.