Comments on 2007 AAR annual readers' poll

Ok, here we go. The results of AAR's 2007 annual readers' poll were announced on Monday. You can take a look at them here and there's a column with analysis here.

So go grab a cup of coffee and make yourself nice and comfy, because I'm going to be looking at all the results and sharing my ballot, and this could go on for a while *g*

BEST ROMANCE NOVELS

Best Romance

The winner(s):

A tie between:

If His Kiss Is Wicked, Jo Goodman

and

The Serpent Prince, Elizabeth Hoyt

I've read The Serpent Prince (*sigh* still need to post about it), and it was really good, so I'm not surprised it won. Goodman, OTOH, is an author I just don't get. I tried a couple of her books (most recently, One Forbidden Evening), but the writing style drove me insane. I'm half tempted to read this one, seeing as how everyone loved it, but I'm going to contain myself.

My vote:

Demon Angel, by Meljean Brook

This was my standout of 2007. I had quite a few other A- grades (and I promise I'll do a Top 10 post for 2007, no matter how late it is), but there was no doubt in my mind about what I was going to vote here. I should also mention that I actually gave Brook's other single title release a better grade (Demon Moon got an A, vs. Demon Angel's A-), but thinking back, and as much as I loved Colin and Savi, my love for Hugh and Lilith's story was too great not to vote for it.

Favourite funny

The winner:

Natural Born Charmer, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

It was my runner-up in this category, so obviously, no objections here.

My vote:

The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid, by Lisa Cach

I actually graded Natural Born Charmer a bit better, but TESOAFM was much funnier, even taking into account the beaver scene at the beginning of NBC. And I considered The Serpent Prince, by Elizabeth Hoyt for this category, but though it was a funny book, that wasn't its main characteristic, IMO. It's always hard to vote here!

Most-Hanky Read

The winner:

Beau Crusoe, Carla Kelly

I want to read this one so badly! It's on the way here, not to fret.

My vote:

Never Deceive a Duke, by Liz Carlyle

Those flashback scenes! Broke my heart.

Most Luscious Love Story

The winner:

The Serpent Prince, Elizabeth Hoyt

It is luscious indeed. And an excellent story, too. Good win.

My vote:

Dangerous Lover, by Lisa Marie Rice

I voted for this one because it was the most luscious romance that I thought had been good enough to vote for here. I think if my reasoning had been "best romance novel that I thought was luscious", I might have gone for The Serpent Prince. Am I overthinking things here? Anyway, this one was a runner-up in the poll.

Best Erotic Romance

The winner:

Fairyville, by Emma Holly

My vote:

Fairyville, by Emma Holly

Hey, the first one I get! I admit to being very unadventurous when it comes to the level of sexiness in my romance fiction. For the most part, I just want plain vanilla sex. Hot and intense plain vanilla sex, but vanilla, all the same. No backdoor action (unless it's gay romance, of course), no threesomes, no multiple partners, no D/S. Just not interested. For the most part, at least, because Emma Holly is the exception to this rule of mine. Wherever she decides to go, I follow.

Best Cabin/Road Romance

The winner(s):

A tie between:

Up Close and Dangerous, Linda Howard

and

Driven, Eve Kenin

I have Driven TBR, and just last weekend I got UCAD out from the library. Must confess though, I'm excited about the former, but not really about the latter. I've heard too much about it being some kind of mammoth survival manual, but hey, it seems a lot of people loved it!

My vote:

Games of Command, by Linnea Sinclair

Not all of it is cabin romance, but a lot takes place in a spaceship... ultimate cabin AND road romance, combined. Loooooved it!

Best New Author

The winner:

Anna Campbell

I guess I can see it. I detested her debut, Claiming the Courtesan (as a romance, at least, because as I say in my review, as a portrayal of a scary psycho it was excellent), but the writing was fantastic, and it was quite a page-turner. Her next book, Untouched, seems much more my cup of tea, and I'm planning to read it.

My vote:

C.L. Wilson

I loved her combination of epic fantasy and romance, and I thought her writing was very polished and assured for a new author. I'm quite surprised neither Lord of the Fading Lands nor Lady of Light and Shadow rated even a honourable mention in the poll.

Best Buried Treasure

The winner:

If His Kiss Is Wicked, Jo Goodman

Even though she won top honours, I would still agree she can be considered buried.

My vote:

Off World 2: Sanctuary, by Stephanie Vaughan

I suppose I'm a bit of a sheep, because most of the 2007 books I read wouldn't qualify as buried treasures. They're all pretty well known. Not this one, though, especially since it's an ebook and a gay sci-fi romance.

Guiltiest Pleasure

The winner:

Lover Revealed, by JR Ward

My vote:

Lover Revealed, by JR Ward

And that's 2 points for me. Ward is the perfect definition of guilty pleasure, because as I read her, I keep telling myself I can't be enjoying such awfulness. But it IS like crack, and I AM enjoying it. This particular entry in the series was especially cringe-worthy, but still oh-so-addictive.

Author Most Glommed

The winner:

J.R. Ward

Not surprised. Everyone who discovers her books probably goes and immediately buys all her backlist. Crack, remember?

My vote:

Meljean Brook

I didn't really glom anyone, unless buying everything by Meljean Brook counts. It's not that many books, but it's all of the ones available.

Best Medieval/Renaissance

The winner:

Laird of the Mist, Paula Quinn

I remember reading the AAR review and thinking "nah". I think it was the reviewer's comparison to Julie Garwood that did it. Dunno, maybe I'll give it a try now.

My vote:

Blank

I just didn't read any 2007 releases with this setting.

Best European Historical

The winner:

If His Kiss Is Wicked, Jo Goodman

No need to repeat myself.

My vote:

The Serpent Prince, by Elizabeth Hoyt

Sooooo, good! It was the runner-up in the poll.

Best Amer Historical / Frontier

The winner:

Caine's Reckoning, Sarah McCarty

I tried to read one of McCarty's books, the first in her Promises series and I dropped it after about 30 pages. Not my thing. BTW, as the ATBF column points out, interesting that an erotic romance won here.

My vote:

Blank

Part of the reason the Promises book didn't work for me might have been that I don't much like the subgenre. I didn't read any at all last year.

Best Contemporary

The winner:

Natural Born Charmer, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Good one!

My vote:

High Noon, by Nora Roberts

Clearly, I kind of see Romantic Suspense as a subcategory of Contemporary Romance. Plain contemporary romance? Is anyone other than SEP doing that these days? I hope it revives, because it's a kind of romance I love.

Series / Category Novel

The winner:

The Billionaire Next Door, Jessica Bird

My vote:

The Billionaire Next Door, Jessica Bird

It's 3! I read only two other 2007 categories last year, and they were pretty mediocre. There was no contest. TBND was perfect, not just the best of the bunch. The kind of story that's best suited to the format.

Best Romantic Suspense

The winner:

High Noon, by Nora Roberts

My vote:

High Noon, by Nora Roberts

She scores! 4! NR's romantic suspense is consistently top-notch.

Best SF/F & Futuristic

The winner:

Games of Command, Linnea Sinclair

My vote:

Demon Angel, by Meljean Brook

I got hoplessly confused with this category and the next one. One of the features of the latest wave of "non-traditional" (I guess we could call them that) romances is that the lines get blurred. The Sinclair was sci-fi, clearly smack dab in this category, and it was a good win, a great book. But I thought DA was, too. Is it fantasy romance or paranormal romance (in which case it would have gone in the other category)?. I suppose it could be argued both ways, but since I thought the complex mythology and world-building was more important than the cool paranormal powers, I put it here. I think the division needs more work, but damned if I know how to fix it.

Best Paranormal & Time Travel

The winner:

Caressed by Ice, Nalini Singh

My vote:

Visions of Heat, by Nalini Singh

Both were wonderful. I went for VOH in the end and it's funny, because just as with the Brooks in the first category, I voted for the one that got A- rather than A.

Best Chick Lit/Woman's Fiction

The winner:

Sugar Daddy, Lisa Kleypas

Not tempted in the least, in spite of the good reviews. I've no idea why.

My vote:

The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid, by Lisa Cach

It has a chick-litish feel to it, but I admit it's not quite.

Best Short Story

The winner:

Beat of Temptation, Nalini Singh, in An Enchanted Season

Haven't read it yet, I'm hoarding it. Since it's a prequel, I don't need to read it before I go on with the rest of the books.

My vote:

Paradise, by Meljean Brook, in Wild Thing

I really liked this one, and the Liu in the same anthology was cool, too, although a bit of a teaser.

BEST CHARACTERS

Most Tortured Hero

The winner:

Vishous, from Lover Unbound, by J.R. Ward

This is one of the categories I don't quite see the point of. A really "tortured" hero can be a wonderful one or a total ass. This category's not "Best hero who happens to be a tortured soul" after all. In the ATBF column LLB wonders why many people voted for Lover Unbound both here and in most disappointing, and I humbly propose this explanation.

My vote:

Gareth Lloyd, from Never Deceive a Duke, by Liz Carlyle

He happened to be both really tortured and a great character. My runner-ups were Rain Tairen Soul, from Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadows, by CL Wilson (hey, he scorched the world!) and Brandon Kel-Paten, from Games of Command, by Linnea Sinclair. Both wonderful heroes.

Strongest Heroine

The winner:

Eve, from Creation in Death, by J.D. Robb

Haven't read this one yet, it's another one I've been hoarding.

My vote:

Lilith, from Demon Angel, by Meljean Brook

I'd hate to see Lilith take on Eve. It would be bloody, and both would probably end up dead.

Best Hero

The winner:

Restell, from If His Kiss Is Wicked, by Jo Goodman

Ok...

My vote:

Hugh, from Demon Angel, by Meljean Brook

My sweety! I loved the guy. But there were so many great characters this year! Colin Ames-Beaumont, from Demon Moon, also by Meljean Brook, Brandon Kel-Paten, from Games of Command, by Linnea Sinclair, Simon Iddesleigh, from The Serpent Prince, by Elizabeth Hoyt.

Best Heroine

The winner:

Emmaline, from And Then He Kissed Her, by Laura Lee Guhrke

Really? Haven't read it yet, so I can't really say anything, but I'm surprised. I don't remember hearing all that much about her.

My vote:

Lilith, from Demon Angel, by Meljean Brook

She truly is one of my favourite heroines ever. I also loved Savi, from Demon Moon, as well as Faith NightStar, from Visions of Heat, by Nalini Singh. Oh, and Jaime Vegas, from No Humans Involved, by Kelley Armstrong. So far my fave KA heroine.

Best Couple

The winner:

Eve & Roarke, from Creation in Death, by J.D. Robb

Well, yeah, I love them, too.

My vote:

Lilith and Hugh, from Demon Angel, by Meljean Brook

Did anyone doubt what way I would vote? I loved quite a few other couples, but no contest here, they were so amazing together.

Best Villain

The winner:

The one in Innocent in Death, by J.D. Robb

My vote:

The one in Innocent in Death, by J.D. Robb

Oh, yeah. Scary. I didn't read that many great villains this year, this one was the creepiest. And my 5th match.

WORST OF THE YEAR

Most Annoying Lead

The winner:

Marissa, from Lover Revealed, by J.R. Ward

Well, I kind of warmed up to her by the end of the book, but yeah, heroines are not Ward's strong point.

My vote:

Justin Kinmurrie, from Claiming the Courtesan, by Anna Campbell

Spoiled, whiny little boy.

Author You Gave Up On

The winner:

Sherrilyn Kenyon

I should probably try her again. I did like Fantasy Lover, but I think I was overwhelmed by the tons of books that came afterwards and the complicated mythology.

My vote:

Blank

Can't think of anything here.

Most Disappointing Read

The winner:

Lover Unbound, by J.R. Ward

My vote:

Lover Unbound, by J.R. Ward

Yep, 6 matches. With this one, I daresay it's all about the ending. It sucked.

Least Believable HEA

The winner:

Lover Unbound, by J.R. Ward

Right. That ending. I didn't vote for this one, but it's a deserved win, nonetheless.

My vote:

Claiming the Courtesan, by Anna Campbell

A rapist and his victim? Please!

Biggest Wallbanger or "I Tried, I Really Did"

The winner:

Lover Unbound, by J.R. Ward

Also understandable and probably also due to that ending.

My vote:

Blank

I have absolutely no moral objection about voting here, but even Claiming the Courtesan never went even near a wall. Too fascinating to read.

Purple-est Prose

The winner:

Gideon, Jacquelyn Frank

My vote:

Blank

I believe this category is being retired after this year, and I think that's understandable. It's getting hard to find thrusting love lances and weeping grottoes.


So.... any thoughts?