30 Day Book Challenge: Day Sixteen (prescheduled)

So Many Books, So Little Time is hosting the 30 Day Book Challenge. Each day for 30 days I'll be answering one question about books.

Day Sixteen: A book that is a guilty pleasure

My guilty pleasure is actually a whole series: Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey novels.

I've talked about these books a few times on my blog, but it is only now that I'm admitting that these are actually a guilty pleasure. I'll talk about them openly, of course, but as a guy I sometimes feel a little strange admitting that I like novels that walk the line between historical fiction, mystery, and romance.

Don't get me wrong, these books are well-written and I'm glad to have discovered them. In fact, it wasn't until the new U.S. covers came out that I even started to feel weird about reading them in public. Compare the cover above to this monstrosity:

Now take a look at this one:

Silent on the Moor is the third book in the series and when I bought it, I was glad for the first time in my life that I'm a spine-bender. I kept this cover hidden as much as possible while I was reading it because it's just so bodice-rippingly bad.

The thing that I love about the novels is that the romance is understated. The tension between Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane is subtle. These covers, however, make it look like the books are full of words like "quivering" and "bosom" and I can't handle that.

So, for the sheer fact that I feel like my man-card should be revoked every time I read one of these books in public, the Lady Julia Grey series is my guilty pleasure.
____________________

Also, today is my 25th birthday. Just thought I'd mention it.

-Gabe