I have never read in this genre and I have no idea where to even start, so I need some recommendations.  I usually just read romance.  I would like to start a series that is paranormal/romance, but don't know what is good.  Any suggestions to start with?  I'll be looking for the forerunners/cream of the crop books that seems to come up the most in the posts.

I started by checking out others wish lists & found what interested me. :)

This genre varies greatly.  Some books are more like romance, some lean more towards horror.  Some are light and funny.  Some are mysteries.  What are you looking for?  What is your comfort level?  Do you want HEA?  Basically this is the border where urban fantasy, Sci Fi, and supernatural all overlap with romance.  Some books, like Lindsay Sands, are much more funny romances.  Some like Patty Briggs and Carrie Vaughn are less romance and more urban fantasy.  Then there is Linnea Sinclair who is SF with a huge helping of romance.   Weres?  Vamps?  Witches?

Okay.  That probably overwhelmed you.  Basics.  How much romance?  How much horror?  Humor with horror?  Who do you like in romance?  Do you want historicals?

Coming from the direction of romance.  Eileen Wilks.  Robin Owens. 

Maryjanice Davidson's Undead Series, Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, Erin McCarthy's sins series. You can also get some more ideas from Paranormal Series , it's always at the top of this forum.

sorry, double post.

I'm not really big into historicals.  I think I'd like to start with something with werewolves or vampires or both.  Maybe also something that starts with the character learning about the "otherworld," not already emersed in it.  That way I can relate to it a little more.

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine (YA, very little sex)

Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks

Fangs for the Memories by Kathy Love

Moon Called by Patty Briggs (less romance, not HEA.)

JR Ward is slightly darker

Anne Bishop is even darker

I am pretty new to the genre myself, coming from more of a science fiction background, but it is easy to find stuff.  Here are some I liked:

1) Yarrow by Charles de Lint - from the '80's, earliest urban fantasy type book I know of, and probably the best book I've read this year.

2) Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - Starts with Storm Front, and I was hooked with the first chapter.  I like the light and humorous 1st person style.

3) Tanya Huff - I am on my 8th of her books now and haven't found one I dislike.  Her Blood and Smoke series are paranormal, though the Confederation series is SF and some of the others are fantasy.

Anne Bishop would be more fanasty? 

If you are new to the genre I'd recommend starting w/ Kelley Armstrong women of the otherworld series and Rachel Caine's weather warden series...even though Caine's isn't about werewolves and vampires.  I find Armstrong's series to have a perfect balance of both paranomral elements and romance.  If you like light and funny I'd go with Mary Janice Davidson.  

I love Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Carrie Vaughn, Jennifer Rardin, Jeanine Frost, Jenna Black...etc... but if you want a romance  I don't they are necessarily for you!

Okay, Anne is more fantasy.   But definitely darker.

I love Kelley Armstrong's books.  But I'd recommend them to someone coming from SF/F rather than romance. 

I wouldn't think Armstrong is Sci-Fi at all....great thing about this genre.  It confuses everyone!

Feminist werewolf?  But I'd recommend her to folks who read SF/F.  And Lynsday Sands to romance folks.  Sort of where on the grey scale the books fall on.  And Paranormals definitely covers a wide grey scale.  Angels, witches, vamps, goddesses.

Oh, talking of goddesses, I'm recommending P C Cast. 

OK, I just added Bitten to my wish list, so I'll be the arbeiter of how SF it is :p

Like I said, it is easy to find stuff to read.  I personally think the Dresden Files are the easiest to transition to from SF, at least 'hard' SF that I like. 

Yes.  Also Wen Spencer.  Kelley Armstrong.  Nina K Hoffman.  Love them all.  But alot less HEA, which some romance readers expect and want.  Harry definitely does not have any HEA.

I started a thread a few weeks ago for light paranormal and got some great suggestions. If you like funny/silly the 'love at stakes' series by Kerrelyn Sparks is good..characters show up in later books though I don't know why the 2nd book(vamps and the city) wasted book space on that couple LOL but I'm assuming they'll show up again(they helped in book 3)...I also like Kathy Love's YOung Brothers ' fangs for the memories' is the first.the first 2 are my faves but read the other 2 to finish their stories. she has a new series out too.

I have Lynsay Sands in TBR.

I also liked Storm Watch (no romance really but kept my interest)

I also liked rhyannon byrd's bloodrunners trilogy from silhouette nocturne..she's supposed to write more to make it a series

HEA...what does that mean?  Too early in the morning to try to figure it out. 

Elena is definately a feminist werewolf...but I still dont' get the sci fi...but like I said I've vastly confused as to what is what in this genre! 

Happily Ever After.   I don't think that I'd recommend a first book to a romance reader that did not have a HEA.  But SF/F people don't expect one.  I'm not saying that Kelley Armstrong is SF.  I'm saying her books don't have a neat and tidy HEA.     Oh wait, I did recommend Rachel Caine who has cliff enders.  My bad.   No HEA there.

I like to read Chritine Feehan.  She is paranormal romance.  The DARK series involves vampires, Carpathians, shape shifters, clairvoyents and magicians.  Very interesting series. 

Wendy

Okay again......what does HEA mean?????????

HEA stands for Happily Ever After

Thank you!  I was going crazy trying to figure that out! 

Don't forget Kim Harrison.  Here books are pretty well-rounded...a little romance, some demons, vampires, fighting, etc.  Very well-written set of books.

For more of a romance set try the Mona Lisa books by Sunny; lots of sex.  They are more about faeries, than anything else.

just started reading dark prince by christine feehan. love it so far looking forward to reading the whole serie

also really liked the bloodrunners trilogy