Comments on: My guilty pleasure

By: The Franchise

The Franchise — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:36:36 +0000

If you read it at that age, a heroine barely into adulthood that acts fourteen would make sense.

By: MoJo

MoJo — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:59:35 +0000

I loved Ruark.

Again, I think she’s a good example of the placeholder. There’s another big debate about the romance being hero-centric anyway.

(In my defense, I was 12 or 13 or something when I read it the first time. That probably says something about Shanna…)

By: The Franchise

The Franchise — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:56:58 +0000

Shanna is the foremost example to me of the useless heroine.

Not the worst, mind you; the worst were utterly forgettable, whereas Shanna is better-written. It’s strangely titled, though, since the well-written character is Ruark.

By: MoJo

MoJo — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:39:17 +0000

Harlequin lost me when they broke into different genres.

I was going to say that Harlequin lost me to college in 86 and I didn’t have time for it anymore, but after tonight’s wrangling with eHarlequin’s ebook shop, they’ve lost me all over again.

I’m rather peeved, I tell you, all that business just to download a couple of books. Grrrr.

By: Cindy Cruciger

Cindy Cruciger — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:37:53 +0000

My Aunt had every Harlequin ever published in a room with four walls of shelves holding the entire collection. She also had a wrap around porch and rocking chairs. I think I read them all. Harlequin lost me when they broke into different genres. I couldn’t subscribe to them all and my Aunt couldn’t keep up either. It’s addictive, though.

By: MoJo

MoJo — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:56:01 +0000

I do love Shanna. I was really young when I first read it so it was a struggle to understand what was going on. I think my favorite scene in the whole book was when Ruark is coming through the shop with some barrels and his muscles are popping like crazy and Shanna's fit to be tied. I don't remember reading one Mortimer nurse story, but I went on a Mortimer binge of the 1979-1985 vintage last summer and as an adult, I have to say I was a little disturbed by how forced was the seduction. I didn't remember it like that. Still, she has me and always will.

By: Cindy Cruciger

Cindy Cruciger — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:21:03 +0000

I met Kathleen Woodiwiss at lake Buena Vista (Disney) in Orlando when I was a kid. I have a first edition signed copy of Shanna. I think I’ve read it fifty times. The opening scene in the carriage is amazing. And I remember loving Carole Mortimer Harlequins a lot. Didn’t she do a lot of nurse themes? I don’t remember them being that … over the top.