‘Tis the time of year to be thankful, and I’m super grateful for ALL the books I’ve read, good or bad. Whether they’ve taught me lessons, let me escape for a while, infused joy, disgusted me, or whatever else, they’ve all made my life better in one way or another. I could list hundred of books here, but managed to narrow it down to ten (kicking and screaming) that I’m the most thankful for. What about you?
Title: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Basic Plot: 1940s British nurse accidentally goes back in time to 1740s Scotland, falls in love with hottest man ever, tries to stop the massacre at Culloden, and goes through all kinds of adventures.
Rating: 5
Steam: Low to Medium
Themes/Tropes: Deep and Lasting love, War, Family, Fighting for country and beliefs, Time Travel, Sacrifice, Forced Marriage
Wine Pairing: Red blend for Red Jamie.
Reason I’m Thankful: Too many reasons to list—Jamie Fraser, incredible storytelling, so original, legendary moments, so much depth in the characters. And Jamie Fraser again.
Title: The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Basic Plot: Rich Scottish lord rumored to be mad finds soulmate in independent woman who loves his idiosyncrasies but isn’t going to take his sh**.
Rating: 4.5
Steam: Medium
Themes/Tropes: Opposites Attract, Wealthy Scottish Family, Mental Health
Wine Pairing: Parisian Favorites, for time spent in Paris
Reason I’m Thankful: Introduced me to the wild MacKenzie family and the MacKenzies & McBrides series, full of one-of-a-kind characters and the best kind of drama.
Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Brontë
Basic Plot: Young woman/orphan who’s had it rough gets a governess job for a troubled older man’s ward, falls in love, still goes through a lot of weird and dark stuff.
Rating: 5
Steam: None
Themes/Tropes: Classic, Age Gap, Opposites, Dark
Wine Pairing: Dark Romantic wines
Reason I’m Thankful: Old romance + darkness and depth that pushed some boundaries of the time period.
Title: And Then There Were None
Author: Agatha Christie
Basic Plot: Ten people with misdeeds in their pasts get invited to an isolated island where they’re murdered one by one.
Rating: 4.5
Themes/Tropes: Murder Mystery, Creepy, Paying for Sins, Vengeance, Judgment
Wine Pairing: Creepy wines
Reason I’m Thankful: Still one of my favorite mysteries; introduced me to creepy murder mysteries as a kid.
Title: Bridgerton series
Author: Julia Quinn
Basic Plot: Eight rich and privileged siblings in Regency England seek love and navigate the social hierarchy.
Rating: 4
Steam: Medium to High
Themes/Tropes: Rakes, Scandal, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers, Class Differences, Widows, Friends to Lovers (all the tropes)
Wine Pairing: Champagne
Reason I’m Thankful: Introduced me to romance novels
Title: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Basic Plot: Non-fiction exploration of humanity over the last 70,000 years, including our role in the world, how we came to be where we are, major innovations and events, and connections between past and present.
Rating: 4.5
Themes: History, Biology, Human Impact on the World
Reason I’m Thankful: I learned so much in one book, but also came away with questions and more to explore.
Title: Ravenels series
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Basic Plot: The series begins with an unexpected heir to the earldom taking charge in Cold-Hearted Rake, and follows family members and friends through their love stories.
Rating: 4.5
Steam: Medium to High
Themes/Tropes: Like Bridgerton, all the tropes, but these books have a touch more edge.
Wine Pairing: Claret
Reason I’m Thankful: The first true romance series I got into and loved.
Title: A Taste of Italian Sunshine
Author: Leonie Mack
Basic Plot: Introvert city girl and wine buyer travels to Prosecco country and meets seemingly laid-back farm boy during the harvest.
Rating: 5
Steam: Low
Themes/Tropes: Italian countryside, City girl and country boy, Opposites Attract, Proximity
Wine Pairing: Prosecco
Reason I’m Thankful: My first Leonie Mack book, and I was hooked! I’ve read them all now and can’t wait for the next one.
Title: We Could Be So Good
Author: Cat Sebastian
Basic Plot: In 1950s NYC, Nick and Andy try to navigate their relationship without losing their families, jobs, or freedom.
Rating: 5
Steam: Medium
Themes/Tropes: Forbidden Love, Gay Love in the 1950s, Opposites Attract, Family, Friendship
Wine Pairing: NYC drinks from the ‘50s
Reason I’m Thankful: A beautiful portrayal of love, and a sobering reminder of what love can cost in a society that fears it.
Title: The Simple Wild (and sequels)
Author: K.A. Tucker
Basic Plot: City girl Calla goes to rural Alaska to see her cancer-stricken estranged father, meets hot pilot, navigates complex feelings for her father and her newfound love.
Rating: 5
Steam: Medium
Themes/Tropes: Family Relationships, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers, Rural/Small Town
Wine Pairing: Alaskan Beer
Reason I’m Thankful: The book just really hit me on all cylinders and brought out so much feeling; characters were so perfectly written and relationships felt so meaningful.