For example, I really loved elizabeth Hoyt's Seduced by a Sinner. Not the typical alpha hero or beautiful ravishing heroine. I'm getting bored with the controlling alpha male. Any suggestions?

I really like All About Romances special title lists to get ideas on new authors.  They have one titled Beta Heroes which is then broken down into time periods.  They actually have about 60 catagories and 5 are updated every month.  There is also one named Nerds. 

http://www.likesbooks.com/spechero.html

The special titles lists are under Reader's Choice.  Right above If You Like...

The historical romance GATHER THE STARS by Kimberly Cates - an older title but it's great. The hero wears glasses and is very beta. There's a spin-off called ANGEL'S FALL but that hero is very alpha. Both are awesome.

I just started one in which the heroine is in a wheel chair Phantom Waltz by Catherine Anderson.

Great list!

Thanks for all the suggestions ladies. I just ordered the Kimberly cates book:-)

For beta heroes and plain heroines, one of my favorite books is Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer. The hero is a drifter - a homeless ex-con, the heroine a shy, poor widow who is pregnant and has two small children. She's also been completely isolated from everyone in the small town since she was a child, so they all think she's crazy. She advertises for a husband to help her at her farm, and he answers the ad. It takes place during WWII.

It's nothing like Elizabeth Hoyt's book though. But it's still a beautiful story. If you like beta heroes, several of Spencer's books have them - for instance: That Camden Summer (turn of the century US - heroine's a divorcee which shocks her small town - hero is a local carpenter fixing her house); Small Town Girl (it's a contemporary - heroine's a famous country singer; hero's the typical boy next door, still there when she returns for a visit).

Carla Kelly's heros are not alpha- some are very sensitive (almost too sensitive). If you can find her!

I ordered Morning glory and Phantom Waltz as well!! Yeah:-)

Morning Glory is wonderful - I recommend it highly, too. Just about everything I've read by Spencer was good.

Don't know if this falls into your requirements, but Sandra Canfield's Night Into Day has a heroine who is severely afflicted with arthritis and the hero, while an alpha football player, is a very sensitive, caring guy - one of my favorite heroes. I reread this one periodically. She's another author who has written about sensitive topics - in one book a male police detective was raped by a male perp. A great loss to the genre when she died.

Here's one that's really good - on my keeper shelf - with an unusal hero: Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney.  He's a "wild man", lost in the wilderness as a child, and she's the daughter of the scientist who is studying him.  Very, VERY good book.  If you can get a copy, Winter Garden has an awesome hero as well.  He lost a leg and was badly scarred in the war, and he's totally to die for.  Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway also has a great gero.  The heroine mistakes him for a rake due to something she saw & misunderstood when she was young.  He's totally adorable, and this is a great book.  Hysterically funny in places.  Beau Crusoe by Carla Kelly is also excellent.  Hero is a Robinson Crusoe type of character, and while he's much celebrated by society, he's nervous & awkward with people.  For My Lady's Heart has one of the strongest most determined heroes I've ever read about, but he's had a rough life.  Was just crazy about him from beginning to end.  It's written in middle english though, so the language is a little unusual.  It's one of my top 10 all time favorite books.  Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor is another excellent book.  Her is an irish convict transported Tasmania, and the heroine is the rich daughter of a well-to-do family.  It's also on my keeper shelf.  And My Beloved by Karen Ranney is another keeper.  It's a medieval and the hero has leprosy.  It's almost unbelievable that this one has a happy ending, but it does.  Anyway, I highly recommend all of those if you're looking for something exceptional in a hero.

I want to just ditto the rec for Beau Crusoe--the story was very orginal and the hero is just wonderful. I wanted to keep hugging him. I love Simply Love by Mary Balogh--the hero in that is scarred and missing an arm and had been an artist before he lost his arm. The heroine in that is a woman who had a child out of wedlock.

Since you've ordered Phantom Waltz, you might want to consider getting Baby Love also, which is about his brother, a railroad drunk and a woman on the run with a brand new baby. it is SO good. Catherine Anderson is an excellent writer. These can be read as stand alones and I don't think it matters if you read one before the other. I am looking forward to reading every one of her books, she is Great.

PS-does anyone know if there is a story about Rafe and Ryan's parents? I can't find it on her web site.

My best friend is a huge Catherine Anderson fan - I've only read a couple of her books (COMANCHE MOON and ANNIE'S SONG) and they were awesome. I probably have most of her books but haven't really gotten started on them. On the basis of the two I read I imagine she's consistently great.

She is SO good, and its really nice to read an author who proof reads and seldom has errors in the text. I think I've found 2 mistakes in Phantom Waltz, both were missing exclamation marks.  I can live with that! Oh man that book is way better than I thought it would be too. I hope to finish it tonight.

I'm so pleased to be introduced to a new author. I look forward to reading Phantom Waltz as well as the others I have ordered. Thanks again for all of the suggestions.

Anne, in answer to your question about Rafe and Ryan's parents the short answer is--no, there is no formal story on them.  But through the rest of the series, you do get a lot more background and more info on their relationship.  You basically learn about them through the other characters and their dealings with mom and dad. 

Anderson does do one sort of family history book where she goes back to Joseph (sort of relation to the Coulter's I think) and his future bride--who happens to be agoraphobic, in the wild, wild west.  Very nice story IMO--Summer Breeze is the title and it's actually the second in the Keegan/Paxton stories that starts with Keegan's Lady.  No others in this series yet.

I loved this entire series and even like the spin off into the Harrigan family when all of the Kendrick/Coulter connections are hooked up.  She remains one of my favorite authors, and one of the few I buy brand new.  Just can't wait for them here! LOL

ETA: Just for those who are interested, here's a listing of the books in the series--in their published order.  And IMO they should be read in order because of the continuing relationships between the families and how they build from book to book.

1. Baby Love--Rafe's story
2. Phantom Waltz--Ryan's story 
3. Sweet Nothings--Jake's story
4. Blue Skies--Hank's story
5. Bright Eyes--Zeke's story
6. My Sunshine--Isaiah's story
7. Sun Kissed--Tucker's story--introduction to the Harrigan family,
8. Morning Light--the start of the Harrigan connection books
9. Star Bright--more from the Harrigan brothers 

I know--way more information than anyone wanted, but I can't help it--I really like these books and want everyone else to know about them too!!! LOL

Thanks, Heather! That list has helped me. I have to get ready for work now (ugh, after a 3-day weekend) but I'm going to cut/paste the list to a "series" document I have. I have some of the books - in fact I bought 3 of them for a quarter each at the library sale; not in the greatest shape but a deal compared to full, new-book price. Thanks again. Gail

Heather, thanks for the great info!!!  I finished Phantom Waltz and will be starting Sweet Nothings ASAP!

You're welcome ladies!  Glad I could help :)

Yes! Thanks Heather and everyone else:-)