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Non-Explicit Romances that aren’t Christian?

LauraBeth475

By LauraBeth475,
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LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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Alright help me find some new books to read?  I don’t generally like Christian fiction, but I would appreciate finding some novels that don’t spend six or eight pages describing the *tea party* in detail

Farrar

Farrar

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If you're willing to read young adult, YA romance often doesn't have much tea party happening.

Another vote for Georgette Heyer.

Goodreads has a clean romance tag.

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Kareni

Kareni

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You might enjoy House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

"Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours."

Regards,

Kareni

katilac

katilac

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31 minutes ago, Farrar said:

If you're willing to read young adult, YA romance often doesn't have much tea party happening.

Your library system must be more conservative than mine. I used to call the YA books the soft porn section, lol. 

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Kareni

Kareni

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Carla Kelly's books tend to be non-explicit. She has regency romances along with romances set in America. I've enjoyed all of her books that I've read. 

Regards,

Kareni

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Danae

Danae

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You might enjoy Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series.  It’s primarily mystery with a bit of romance. Sex is mentioned but not described.  
 

Also Mary Robinette Kowal’s Glamourist Histories which are Jane Austin with light magic.  

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Beth S

Beth S

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Our library subscribes to Hoopla, & it's usually easy to tell in the description of the book whether it's "sensual" or "sweet romance".
They have a separate tab for Christian books.

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Dmmetler

Dmmetler

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Cozy mysteries often have a romance element as well, but it tends to be slow growing over the series, where the couple is often dating for several years after their first meeting before getting married, and then after the wedding will eventually have children-the only evidence they ever moved beyond kisses, since the non-mystery discussion has often been focused around finding and repairing a house, conflict with family members, job issues, and other day to day stuff. 

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MercyA

MercyA

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If you don't mind YA books, I love Beverly Cleary's teen romances! Fifteen is my favorite. My daughter also enjoyed Sister of the Bride, Jean and Johnny, and The Luckiest Girl.

Edited by MercyA
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AmandaVT

AmandaVT

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RaeAnne Thayne has "clean and wholesome" books, I like them for a nice, light read. BlackBerry Summer is the first in her Hope's Crossing series. Her books usually take place in CO or ID and they are set in present day - small town, each book in the series focuses on a different character in town. I do like them, but don't expect high end literature - think, nice beach read. 😁 (not a snark - I happen to enjoy nice beach reads)

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Lori D.

Lori D.

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2 hours ago, Kareni said:

You might enjoy House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

"Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours."

Regards,

Kareni

I normally love your book suggestions, @Kareni, but I just have to interject that this book is one of very few books that I did not finish, and it is the ONLY book I have ever returned and asked for a refund.

It was not well-written, all of the characters were incredibly stereotyped, and within 3 chapters you knew exactly what was going to happen. I felt so ripped off, because I love fantasy quest-adventure, but this was a book with a politically-correct agenda set in a fantasy world. I felt very misled by those glowing reviews. 😢

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Kareni

Kareni

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52 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

I normally love your book suggestions, @Kareni, but I just have to interject that this book is one of very few books that I did not finish, and it is the ONLY book I have ever returned and asked for a refund.

It was not well-written, all of the characters were incredibly stereotyped, and within 3 chapters you knew exactly what was going to happen. I felt so ripped off, because I love fantasy quest-adventure, but this was a book with a politically-correct agenda set in a fantasy world. I felt very misled by those glowing reviews. 😢

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lori D. I'll admit that I've also been surprised at the utter love the book has garnered; I liked but did not love it. (Admittedly there are very few books that I would say I loved.) I agree about knowing exactly what was going to happen within three chapters; however, that somehow seemed part of the book's charm. 

Clearly, @LauraBeth475, this is a case where reading a sample might prove beneficial.

Regards,

Kareni

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Lori D.

Lori D.

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Just now, Kareni said:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lori D. I'll admit that I've also been surprised at the utter love the book has garnered; I liked but did not love it. (Admittedly there are very few books that I would say I loved.) I agree about knowing exactly what was going to happen within three chapters; however, that somehow seemed part of the book's charm...

@Kareni-- Just wanted to add: your recommendation a few years ago of The Goblin Emperor (Addison) = 😍. It has been my favorite new book for the past several years running, and is my new go-to "comfort food read". 😃

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Kareni

Kareni

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6 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

@Kareni-- Just wanted to add: your recommendation a few years ago of The Goblin Emperor (Addison) = 😍. It has been my favorite new book for the past several years running, and is my new go-to "comfort food read". 😃

Thanks for sharing that, Lori D. It's definitely one of my comfort reads, too! The author's new book in the same world is coming in several days; I'm definitely eager to read it.  

The Witness for the Dead

Regards,

Kareni

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katilac

katilac

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1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith (author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) is relatively clean. There are some references to tea, but no explicit detail at all.

How long has it been since you've read this? I haven't finished the Kindle sample, and already: she's glad to get married to get away from her stepfather, who gives her the creeps because of the way he insists on kissing her goodnight in bed (and -? not sure, there are ellipses involved), they talk a whole lot about 'petting' as much as possible in public back home, and, when they can't get in their room right away, the newly wedded husband grabs her breasts forcibly on the porch, ignoring her protests (telling her she sure wouldn't have minded back home), rips her blouse to the waist (still on the porch, mind), and is trying to yank her jacket off when she opens her mouth to scream. On their wedding day. On the porch. 

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LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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3 hours ago, Danae said:

You might enjoy Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series.  It’s primarily mystery with a bit of romance. Sex is mentioned but not described.  
 

Also Mary Robinette Kowal’s Glamourist Histories which are Jane Austin with light magic.  

I loved Lady Sherlock.  Great fun.  I’ll have to check out the Glamourist Histories.  I love that era.

LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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4 hours ago, katilac said:

Do you want the romance part to be central? Always a 'new' standalone romance or ongoing relationships in a series okay? 

Ongoing relationships would be great.  

LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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3 hours ago, katilac said:

Your library system must be more conservative than mine. I used to call the YA books the soft porn section, lol. 

😂😂😳

My daughters are getting into young adult books.  The parental approval process can be highly contentious 

LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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2 hours ago, Dmmetler said:

Cozy mysteries often have a romance element as well, but it tends to be slow growing over the series, where the couple is often dating for several years after their first meeting before getting married, and then after the wedding will eventually have children-the only evidence they ever moved beyond kisses, since the non-mystery discussion has often been focused around finding and repairing a house, conflict with family members, job issues, and other day to day stuff. 

Hmm, sounds good.  Anyone have some favorite cozy mystery series of this type?  

LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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40 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

@Kareni-- Just wanted to add: your recommendation a few years ago of The Goblin Emperor (Addison) = 😍. It has been my favorite new book for the past several years running, and is my new go-to "comfort food read". 😃

I read The Goblin Emporer last year and adored it!  The Angel of the Crows by the same author was also excellent.

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katilac

katilac

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26 minutes ago, LauraBeth475 said:

Ongoing relationships would be great.  

 

23 minutes ago, LauraBeth475 said:

Hmm, sounds good.  Anyone have some favorite cozy mystery series of this type?  

Sunday Philosophy Club for the win! 

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MercyA

MercyA

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49 minutes ago, katilac said:

How long has it been since you've read this? 

Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. Definitely going to remove that recommendation. I read it over 20 years ago, probably. Thank you! 

katilac

katilac

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2 minutes ago, Anne Elliot said:

The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery. Very sweet romance. 

I loved this book, and somewhere on the boards is my long argument that the sweet romance is less the point than the protagonist realizing she does not have to conform to expectations, that the constrictions to her life are really just these expectations that only have the power she chooses to give them. 

1 minute ago, MercyA said:

Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. Definitely going to remove that recommendation. I read it over 20 years ago, probably. Thank you! 

I've done this 😄 and I'd actually like to read the book, but it did not seem to meet the OP's request, lol.

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MercyA

MercyA

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5 minutes ago, katilac said:

I've done this 😄 and I'd actually like to read the book, but it did not seem to meet the OP's request, lol.

My understanding is that it is a semi-auto-biographical novel about the first year of Betty Smith's marriage. 

HeartString

HeartString

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The Virgin River series isn’t too bad. There are a few scenes per book but they don’t go on for pages.  I enjoyed the series and I don’t like the explicit romance books at all.  

Dmmetler

Dmmetler

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51 minutes ago, LauraBeth475 said:

Hmm, sounds good.  Anyone have some favorite cozy mystery series of this type?  

Donna Andrews Meg Langslow series. They all have birds in the title. Not gory, Meg's relationship with Michael builds over the series, and a good part of the humor focuses around Meg's large quirky family and their small college town neighbors, 

 

Laurien Berenson-Series is focused around dog shows and other things related to dogs, the protagonist is a single, divorced mom. She meets her eventual second husband in the first book, and I don't think they so much as go on a date unTil the second book

 

Joan Hess's Claire Malloy mysteries. Very slow burn that starts out more as rivals before connecting. (Single mom of a teen daughter). 

 

 

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katilac

katilac

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3 minutes ago, MercyA said:

My understanding is that it is a semi-auto-biographical novel about the first year of Betty Smith's marriage. 

Well, that's depressing. 

I don't quite want to pay the Kindle price for it, so I put in a library request to buy it and borrowed Tomorrow Will Be Better instead. 

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LauraBeth475

LauraBeth475

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1 hour ago, Matryoshka said:

Mary Stewart.  Those are pretty much the only things I could label as 'romance' I've ever read, back when I was myself a teen.  Very clean.

I just got the audiobooks for her Merlin series on sale a few weeks ago

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Matryoshka

Matryoshka

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8 minutes ago, LauraBeth475 said:

I just got the audiobooks for her Merlin series on sale a few weeks ago

I read a couple if those too, but they do have a different vibe than the romances, which are mostly (not all) young ingenue travels abroad and meets mysterious man, romantic tension till happy ending. The ones I remember the most are The Moon Spinners, Nine Coaches Waiting,  and Airs above the Ground .

Ausmumof3

Ausmumof3

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4 hours ago, LauraBeth475 said:

Oh this looks interesting.  Added the first one to the library list

Seconding this, it was the first series that came to mind.  Romance isn’t central but is present and these are so lovely.

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

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6 hours ago, Lori D. said:

@Kareni-- Just wanted to add: your recommendation a few years ago of The Goblin Emperor (Addison) = 😍. It has been my favorite new book for the past several years running, and is my new go-to "comfort food read". 😃

Yes, I agree! I wish I had read it sooner but I kept thinking it wasn't a genre I'd like. Now it's one of my favorite books.

I know from the book threads that you and I often have overlapping book tastes so if you said you liked a book I know I'll probably like it too.

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Forget-Me-Not

Forget-Me-Not

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I really like Kristan Higgins. There is some language but it’s not excessive. TeA mentioned but not explicitly described. She has a couple of series that involve different characters in a community. Some of her newer stuff is less “vacation read” and deals with some heavier topics, but I’ve loved all her books so far. I haven’t yet read the newest that just came out this month. 
 

Also seconding Erin Hilderbrand if you’re looking for light, fun vacation reads. Although I did not love her Christmas series. 

Edited by Forget-Me-Not

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