Hi fellow PBSers,

I'm looking for some book recommendations for my mom. I'm hoping for books that are audio format as that's what she prefers.

I can't really say what she likes because she's extremely picky. A romance is in order, although I don't think she cares for the steamy romances filled with explicit love scenes. A book with a strong plot, hardly any brutal violence, romantic subplot and a happy ending is the best way to describe her taste. The books don't even have to be romance at all. Any good captivating general fiction book would work. Classics, etc.

One example of something she likes is the movie Letters To Juliet. She absolutely adores that film and has taken to watching it over and over again since my attempts to find her new books and movies have epically failed. And no Sparks or Patterson suggestions. Lol. We've already been there, done that.

Well, if anyone can suggest something, I'd appreciate it. She's so bored these days, and I'd love to find her a stack of books to read, rather than the occasional book I by chance come upon.

Thank you,

Natalie

I think that anyone would like a couple of Maggie Osborne books:  The Best Man, Brides of Prairie Gold or especially, The Promise of Jennie Jones which has some really funny stuff in it.  My Mom actually got all the humor in Jennie Jones because it stems from interactions with a precocious little girl.

My Mom also loved the Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.  It is a little heavier than the stuff I usually send her but she and her book club loved it.

Also, this one is for everyone.  My sister who 'will never read romances' LOVED this book:  Flowers From The StormAuthor: Laura Kinsale

Peeper by William Brinkley   Is a greally fun little mystery book.

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver is also a great little novel.  this book is how I got my mom to read Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven which she also loved.

The Long Walk Home by Will North   I would say that this is a modern romance and any woman would like the book.  I especially think women our Mom's age would like the story and if they made a movie, it would do really well with women.

Has she tried LaVyrle Spencer?  These are romantic but not very explicit.  My favorite is Morning Glory, but most any of her books might be a good choice.

My mom really liked The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams as an audio book.  It has a great reader and is short but engrossing.  It's not a romance and is technically YA but very well done with a wide appeal, not obviously YA at all.  It won an audie award, so when you mentioned audio books, I immediately thought of it.

If she likes humor, I would suggest Jennifer Cruise. I LOVE Kristan Higgin's books too - they are sweet, funny, romantic, but no smut. I also just finished Stay by Allie Larkin, it is a little chick lit/romance and I really enjoyed it!

Elin Hilderbrand may also be someone to try - I have really liked her books, but I would stay away from Summer Affair if it was my mom...Nantucket Nights too. But The Island was great, as was Blue Bistro and Barefoot.

If you go to All About Romance, you can do a power search. They rate by sensuality, with Kisses being the cleanest. You can also restrict the search to Regencies or other time periods if you want, or only Grade A reviews, or many other variables are offered, or you can just pull up everything with a Kisses rating. Worth a try. http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/searchReviews.pl

I don't read a lot of romance, although I'm reading more, and I really liked Flowers From the Storm that Pamela references above. 

would she like Nicholas Sparks??  My mom loves his stuff.

  I agree with Morning Glory.  That is one of my all time favorites.