Why am I passionate about this?
I’m a scented candles and bubble bath girl. But my love of love doesn’t intersect with chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne; it’s a circle. I’m not sure if I’m inspired to write romance because of my reality or if my reality is enriched by my writing. In any case, I enjoy a healthy love life, which, to me, is a necessity when writing realistic love or sex scenes. I’ve dated…extensively, and it’s that very experience that makes my love scenes ring true. A little bit of a past goes a long way when devising a romantic scenario or plot. Comma placement can always be learned.
Laura's book list on O.G. romances
Why did Laura love this book?
A secret identity, a strong female lead, and a smart, handsome, heroic aristocrat pretending to be a bondslave were all it took for me to pick up this circa 70s romance.
I’ve always loved a rich plot and detailed descriptions of an era and its settings. In every chapter, the late Ms. Woodiwiss proves how brilliantly she researched pre-colonial America, the Caribbean rum trade, pirates, 1700s clothing, and tall ships. And that’s not to say she littered the plot with unnecessary exposition. She took me to a place I could see, feel, and taste. Her writing is visceral.
I journey along with Shanna and Ruark Deverell Beachamp at least once a year. The love scenes alone are enough to keep me coming back to this book.
2 authors picked Shanna as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
"Shanna" is a magnificent tale of freedom and passionate destiny from incomparable storyteller Kathleen Woodiwiss. In 1749, heiress Shanna Trahern marries convict Ruark Beauchamp, only to abandon her bridegroom to set sail to the Caribbean, with her determined bridegroom in pursuit.