So, this is my first trip into the romance forum, wow, thats all I can say! So if you could recommend sp? one book for a new romance reader what would it be? I don't know about the hard core erotica.

So I have read romantic suspense and I like Linda Howard the best. I didn't like the one about the time capsule though. I can't remember the name.

If you enjoy romantic suspense, I'd recommend Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series. It starts with a book called: The Unsung Hero and characters reappear throughout the series. Many have story arcs over numerous books.

Do you like historical series? Do you have any specific like/dislikes in time periods?

I liked Linda Howard's Mackenzie stories (silhouette originally but have been reprinted a few times).

for suspense there are several good series: the troubleshooters Barbara mentioned, Cherry Adair has a series about T-Flac. not so much suspense-suspense but fun are Tara Janzen's 'crazy' series that have 6 books and 2 others without crazy in the title..they start with crazy h ot, then crazy cool, crazy wild, crazy kisses, crazy love, crazy sweet(haven't read the last 2 yet) then there's on the loose and cu tting loose but not sure which is first on those but they come after those 6 crazy titles.I really liked the 4 I've read so far. Gennita Low has a series too and Cindy Gerard It ink it is has a 'bodyguard' series

I also like a lot of Jayne Ann Krentz stuff like Wildest Hearts, Silver LInings, Midnight Jewels - these all have a bit of mystery and some pretty hot scenes. probably a very politcally incorrect male though :-)at least for this generation but I still like them!

oops you said 1 huh? impossible!

Well, my favorite is LaVyrle Spencer.  You should look her up.  Her stories are unique and well written.  A fun contemporary author is Rachel Gibson.......especially See Jane Score and True Confessions.  I don't do suspense so I can't recommend anything there.  Good luck :)

I could recommend good historicals, but contemporaries are new ground to me.  I've gotten several, including that Tara Janzen Crazy series, on recommendations from readers here, but haven't taken the plunge yet myself.  If you already like romantic suspense, then you probably should start with contemporaries though.  That just seems to make the most sense.  I have a feeling I'd like romantic suspense myself, I just don't know where to start.

What genre do you like?  Robyn Carr has two good contemporary series - Grace Valley & Virgin River.

For historicals you can find Jude Deveraux, Julie Garwood, Arnette Lamb, Hannah Howell...

Good paranormals by Gena Showalter, Lara Adrian, Alyssa Day, Christine Feehan...

Sherri

I can't think of just one book  to recommend.  I can't even think of just one author, there are so many good ones out there.  Like someone else asked, it depends on what genre you are looking for.  Most of the authors noted in the other responses are all good choices.  Try a book from each one and see what you like the best, and go from there.

I don't really know where I am at right now for genre. I went through a cozy faze and now I don't want to invest an hour or two into a book that dosen't stay with me. I read all three of the vampire Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and loved them but they don't really count. It was just a fluke for me geting the first one and sticking with it after I found out it was a vampire book. I really didn't know they were YA until I had read all three. I am still glad I did though.  I have been at the book bazar trying to get some books that are closer to what I started reading so long ago, mysteries, and romantic suspense, real 300+ page books. I don't know if I would like a book that was just romance. I have the Outlander coming to me, just to give it a try, I also ordered Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and I know it is historical. I feel lost. I don't know what I want any more. PBS has opened my world to so many possibilities, I don't know where to start! 

Eight months ago I would never have picked up a book like Outlander or, Water for Elephants or Ella Minow Pea. I would be reading, Jonathan kellerman, Janet Evanovich, Linda Howard, James Patterson, etc. I still like all of them but I am overwhelmed by the choices and I feel like I am missing out on so many good books. Maybe I just need counseling for book issues!  

OK, romantic suspense and big books...

The Outlander series will definitely fit that bill.  I'd also suggest Lucy Monroe's "Ready, Willing and Able" series, Lori Foster has Jude's Law and Murphy's Law, Amy J. Fetzer has some great books in that genre.

Sherri

I enjoyed Trouble In High Heels by Christina Dodd recently.

I'd recommend _Crazy for You_ by Jennifer Crusie, which is a romance but has a bit of a suspense element. We'll ease you in gradually. ;-)

oo i like Jennifer Cruisie  for suspense / romance too - my favorite of hers was Faking It

Marianne Stillings: comedy, action, mystery and romance all in one book.  She's great.  Damsel is my favorite. I got it from the library.  I think I might spend a credit and order from PBS. I keep hoping I'll get a BoB offer from someone who has this book.  Maybe after I move and manage to get some more books read and posted.  I don't have much of a shelf right now. 

Damsel in this Dress

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evie

Sighs Matter,

Arousing Suspicions

Satisfaction

Amanda Quick, Katie MacAlister (her Aislinn Grey series is hysterical), Eloisa James (pure romance, but good), Kay Hooper (some are paranormal, some are straight up romantic suspense- I especially enjoyed once a thief and always a thief) Jennifer Crusie, Jayne Anne Krentz.

Some of these are fairly formula, but I like to mix lighthearted with deeper reading. I read for fun and diversion, not for improvement so maybe that isn't you.

If I had to recommend 1 absolute must read, it would be Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.  No one writes like her.

According to an All About Romance reader survey, these are the top 5 romance of all time (I agree) and all are historical BTW.

The top 5 are:

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

Aimee, My pick for a good historical (the one that won me over) is Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens.  I read that one and never looked back. LOL  I might just have to get that one out for a reread.

Three of my favorites are:  Same Time, Next Year by Debbie Macomber; Trophy Wife by Ginna Gray; and Open Season by Linda Howard.  (I like Open Season because it also has laughs along with sexy romance.)  Lots of others that I like too, but those come to mind first.

Thanks Everyone!

I enjoyed All Jacked Up and Tag, You're It both by Penny McCall.   These are contemporary romance/suspence.   I also like pretty much anything by Katie MacAlister.  She has some historicals, and some paranormals.  

For romantic suspense I like anything by Dinah McCall/Sharon Sala (she writes under both names). I also like Julie Garwood's series about the FBI family (Buchanan). I can only think of the titles of a few of them right now :Mercy, Shadow Dance, Heartbreaker and Murder List. Her new one in that series is Shadow Music.

For plain old romance I love Debbie Macomber. Morning Comes Softly, Mrs. Miracle, Dakota series. I'm waiting for Montana to get here so I can read it.

I also love Catherine Anderson's Kendrick/Coulter/Harrigan series. Her historicals are great too.

Oh, boy... I read too many just to recommend one! I'll try...

Historical- Julie Garwood

Suspense- Sandra Brown

Contemporary- Jennifer Crusie

(I'm really chomping at the bit to add more authors!!!)

Outlander is wonderful as is Water for Elephants, but not the norm for romance.

Only 1?  Start with Causing Havoc by Lori Foster.  Excellent read.  Book 1 in a 3 book series and each book is one of my keepers!  Here is a link to her page and an excerpt: http://lorifoster.com/books/causinghavocpage.htm

i recently discovered rachel gibson (Sex Lies and Online Dating) and enjoyed it alot.