Old-Fashioned Romance from the Bin

I know I'm out-of-step with modern culture in just about every way, especially when it comes to romantic literature. When others were reading romance books with pictures of Fabio on the cover, I woudn't have been caught dead reading those. Yet I promise you I won't be reviewing "Shades of Gray" here on this blog either. My fantasy life is much more simple and old-fashioned. And while others are downloading their books, my idea of a good time is to spend a few hours wandering around a library, a used bookstore, or a charity book sale. Those are the places where a person can find romance novels that aren't run-of-the-mill. These books were never major bestsellers, but might be just the cozy read you return to again and again. So that's what this post is about. These are actually some of my favorite books EVER, so I hope you can find them and enjoy them also. Look around the Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or your local library book sale.



1. The Enchanted by Elizabeth Coatsworth

I found this book on the rack in a drugstore back in the late 1970s, and it still seems miraculous that such a well-crafted story would find its way into the company of ordinary romance novels or mysteries. But there it was, and I finished half of it while waiting for my mother to finish her shopping that day because I couldn't put it down. It's the story of a young man living a rather lonely life in the deep woods of Maine who is befriended by the strange yet whimsical Perdry family. Soon he falls in love and marries one of the daughters, only to discover that his wife has a secret which is part of her "enchantment." I can't say much more without giving up the plot, but you won't be disappointed if you like a little magical realism - or simply magic - in your novels.




2. A Woman in the House by William Barrett

This must have been included in a book club at one time because I often see hardback copies for sale. William Barrett also wrote bestsellers such as The Lilies of the Field, and you'll find some of the same themes in this book - religious faith versus doubt, the relationship between the church and society, and the ways human beings find a sense of belonging. William Barrett was once a Catholic priest himself, so he understood the pull of the devout life, even while trying to balance the down-to-earth side of being human. This story is about displaced people after World War II trying to find their way through the wreckage of Germany. A young Russian Orthodox Monk has followed his elderly mentor to Berlin only to watch him die, and now he must make his way alone. That is, until he meets a young woman outcast in need of his help, whether she wants it or not. Slowly they learn trust each other and they form an alliance which naturally turns to a deeper emotional connection. While it sounds simple, this book doesn't pull punches about human sexuality or the horrors of war. Barrett  also captures the realistic survival skills of hard work and day-to-day life in a simpler simpler place and time. An inspirational story about people and society rising from the ashes.




3. The Two Farms by Mary E. Pearce

I found a well-worn copy of this book at a branch library, then later wanted to check it out again but it had been removed - patrons had loved it to death! I was so sad that my husband tracked down a copy online and bought it for my birthday. And now it's the book I read when I don't know what else to read, and I never get tired of it. Why? Well, Mary E. Pearce is a writer after my own heart - an eye for nature, love of just the right word, and characters with a droll or snarky sense of humor. The story is set in England in the mid-1800s, in a narrow valley with two farms on either side, one green and thriving, one fallen into disrepair. There are also two young men - one the spoiled son of the major landowner, and one an abandoned boy taken in and raised to run the farm. But you shouldn't think this is another Wuthering Heights. Jim Lundy is no Heathcliff, although he does seek revenge when the rich-man's son steals away his girlfriend. He takes a more positive route in making a deal to save the farm across the valley - a rattletrap known as "Godsakes" - but the contract involves marriage to Old Riddler's daughter, Kirren, with dark eyes and a sharp tongue. It's part Pride and Prejudice, and Part "Taming of the Shrew." And Old Riddler the farmer makes me laugh every time I read it. But the best part is watching the three main characters band together to bring the farm back to life again step by step.
If you like this book you can also try Apple Tree Lean Down



4. Conagher: A Novel

The best kept secret about western novels is that they are usually also romances - something macho male readers probably don't want anyone to know. Louis L'Amour liked the ladies and so do his strong-silent-type cowboys. This is one of the best of the genre, the story of widow Evie Teale who struggles to raise her stepchildren alone on the frontier. She deals with her loneliness by writing poems and tying them to tumbleweeds - one of the best literary images in any American novel! Down the dusty trail comes Con Conagher, a chivalrous but tongue-tied cowpoke who fights the urge to settle down with Evie. While there are subplots surrounding cattle rustlers and stagecoach attacks, the heart of the story is the developing love between these two strong characters.
If you like this, I recommend nearly everything else by L'Amour, including his excellent short stories, and you can often find them used or discounted. The excellent movie adaptation of Conagher stars Sam Elliot with his wife Katherine Ross, and was praised by L'Amour himself.