I'm taking a break today from my Writerly Wisdom Wednesday in order to showcase a new release (with a rockin' purdy!!) from my friend, K.E. Shade.
I asked her for a Top Tens list of favorite romantic movies or books, so she gave me five of each!
Without further gibbering from me, here's the lovely lady.
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I'm odd when it comes to romance. I've never been one to
watch a true 'chick flick'. I'm an action kind of gal. Not that full on sappy
doesn't get to me, it's just not my first stop on the movie wheel. I was asked
for a top ten of movies or books but I couldn't make a list that long, really.
Some books it's been a whole since I read them and I read a broad base of
genres to do that. So I decided to go with five of each—and put them in no
particular order.
Books
Okay, bear with me on this choice. For me, the romantic
element transcends the bond between a male and female fornicating. Sure,
there's a small love story in it between and man and a woman but I'm not going
to hone in on that. Instead, I'm going to talk briefly about the brothers
bonded by childhood, not by bloodlines. Saul and Chris.
Two orphans that learn the ways of assassination. The bond
between the two men cannot be broken, even when their mentor Elliot tries to
pit them against each other. When one dies, the other avenges him.
That's right, I'm putting this
one in the mix. Smexy werewolves and a love that is timeless. That's what I
love about this one. Jem and Sean have loved each other for centuries. Each
rebirth has them searching for each other again. Sean knows his mate by the
bond he shares. She needs to be awakened on who she is but it doesn't come
without difficulty.
Still, nothing stops their love.
Don't believe me? Read the other books Ms Belfield wrote with these two
characters. I dare you not to tear up reading Blue Moon.
Honestly, she's my all-time
favorite romance writer. I just picked this one out of thin air. The cover is
awful now. I had this one in paperback and it was
the
classic painted model cover with the bare chest. That's hot! This is a
story about a pirate who steals the future wife of his brother to spite him. He
never touches her virginity at first but she's a smart woman and tempts him,
even after he surrenders her over to his brother.
It's truly touching to see the two
fall in love. I'm sorry I can't recall more of the story as it's been a long
time since I read it. Heck, if you love historical writing I'll always
recommend Connie Mason. Most of the women are strong-head and the men are flummoxed
by the females they 'think' they're controlling. Yeah, that's why I love this
author so much. The women aren't doormats.
I can't just pick one. All the men are just so smexy and
know their mate when they see her. How the women are the ones who ground the
men from turning full vampire is so darky romantic. My heart flutters when a
couple is one with each other and their need isn't lopsided.
Alright, I'm just going to start with this one because
Kisten is starting to get Rachel hot and bothered. I loved there interaction
and when he was killed off, I was curled up in a ball sobbing on the floor. How
could Kim do that to us fans? Rachel was finally getting a good relationship since her douche human boyfriend
Nick plays his disappearing act.
A close second to Rachel's love life is Trent. I know she
wants to bake his cookies. They've got a great chemistry, something completely
different from her other relationship. That's actually a good dynamic to
Harrison's Hollow series.Nick the douchebag, Kisten the hot and sexy vampire,
and Trent that make Rachel's blood boil in more than one way. We'll leave Al the demon out of this mess.
He's more of like the creepy Uncle than a sexual interest.
***
Movies
Never mind that Russell Crowe is just plain intense in this
movie as Maximus. I find the gladiator thing just damn sexy though, as the
movie dictates along with history, most were slaves. We have a Roman
soldier—General in fact—betrayed by an ambitious Caesar. Maximus has, or had, a
family. Always with him are little statues that he always says a prayer over
that they remain safe until he returns.
Of course, tragically, his wife and son are brutally
murdered thanks to Commodus all because
Maximus refuses to follow a Caesar with no moral compass. Maximus is bent on
revenge not only for what happened to his family but to what happened to Caesar
Marcus Aurelius.
What I loved about this movie was the imagery throughout of
golden fields, hinting at the afterlife. The end where Maximus is on the cusp
of death and see his wife and son waiting for him before he snaps back to the
land of the living. The passion on which he trudged to get his ultimate revenge
just endears this film to me and, in its own way, has a nice romantic touch.
Brutally murdered along with his girlfriend, Eric Draven
comes back from the dead to avenge her death. The graphic novel is a classic
and if you haven't cracked it open, I suggest you secure a copy. It's a touch
different from this movie.
Like Gladiator, you get glimpses into Eric and Shelly's love
affair. Except this is every time Eric touches something that contains a strong
memory. The dark images in the movie are really intense. Just when you think
they everyone responsible for his and Shelly's death has gone to the grave
themselves, one more task needs to be done. Sarah, a little girl that looked up
to them both, is held hostage.
While Draven loses his immortality when the crow who pulled
him from the grave is injured, he still has one thing up his sleeve to kill the
man responsible for the whole thing. While he died right away, Shelly suffered
and the cop who stayed by his side harbored all that pain. Memories are a
strong emotion, much like true love. Draven rests at the end with his one and
only love.
Romantic comedies are their own breed. We have the funny,
near slapstick, antics. Annie isn’t really looking for love, mainly because her
life isn't exactly in order. In fact, she's bitter and on the fringe of losing
her best friend to the institution of marriage. She meets Rhodes, a cop, and
they start to have a quirky relationship but Annie can't handle it so … she
runs far away.
When, through her best friend, she starts to realize that
she can't keep running from every relationship, she fights to get back Rhodes.
So it's mostly a happily for now type of thing. The growth alone of where she
started to where she ended up is great. She's still imperfect but willing to
give what she feels for Rhodes a chance.
Oh yes, the classic Disney version. This one chokes me up
every time and I KNOW what's going to happen. Belle sacrifices her freedom to
free her father from the beast's clutches. But really. I think she was trying
to get away from Gaston. This guy is unbelievably full of himself. I bet he
French kisses his mirror.
Through the enchantment of the house, all the living knick
knacks do their best to get the two together. Ulterior motive perhaps? If that
rose in the glass dies, they're trapped too.
That last moment when the final petal falls when he saves
her life. Her grief over losing the beauty within the beast is classic
flood-inducing sobbing. But, come on, at the end when the Prince turns around
and he looks more pretty than Belle. OMG.
Or, really, Firefly. In particular, I'm concentrating on the
connection between Mal and Inara. She's a companion and he's essentially a
space pirate. Together they fight crime! No, not really. The tension between
the characters is of the hot and bothered kind. I think she does her
companionships to irk him and his jealousy is priceless. The man loves her and
won't say it but he's there to defend her at every turn.
***
Well there you have it. This list was harder than I thought to come up with. It's not that I don't read or watch movies. It's a matter of going through the catalog in my head and picking which one works for me in this context.
As I think on the romantic things I've listed, a good bit of them are similar to my latest release Muir Bhreatan. It's got the romantic element but so many other layers as well. Thanks, Terri, for giving me this challenge. I really had fun creating this list. J
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Check out the purdy!!
Muir Bhreatan
Aedan O' Loinsigh's only love beyond the sea is his Kaitlin. Captured, he uses his knowledge of the seas to get back to his love.
Liberators of gold from the British on the high seas, Aedan O' Loinsigh and his brother have never shied away from a challenge on the open waters. Aedan's only tie to solid ground is the lovely Kaitlin who possesses him like no other. When the brothers are captured and awaiting execution, a mysterious man offers to free them if they pay off their debt aboard his ship. The brothers waste no time in agreeing to the proposal only to find their new lives are not much better than those of slaves. Desperate to reach Kaitlin again, Aedan must figure out a way to save not only the other indentured servants aboard the ship but get back to his true love. Salvation could come at a price. One that Aedan will have to live with for the rest of his life.
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