Need recommendation for literary quality novel with a romance

[zerogravity]

Ones that have worked:

History of Love
Time Traveller's Wife

Any other suggestions?

[travlr]

I'm not a romance novel reader but Philippa Gregory has written a number of historical fiction books about the British monarchy with quite a lot of bodice ripping. The Other Boylen Girl was made into a film last year.

[Daffodil]

Possession by A.S. Byatt
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

[Oriole]

On Chesil Beach by McEwan

[Neuromancer]

I loved I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It's not steamy, but it is literary and romantic.

[zerogravity]

Originally Posted by Daffodil

Possession by A.S. Byatt
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

Exactly this kind! yes! Possession is perhaps the ultimate example of what I am talking about. I read it though.

On Chesil Beach will be the next, I think. Great recommendation.

I'll look into the others.

Anyone else?

[Sailor]

What does "literary quality" mean? I don't want to embarrass myself with my suggestions here, lol.

Are we talking things like Jane Austen and Bronte sisters ... or are we talking more "mass market."

Excuse my ignorance.

I was going to suggest Elizabeth Lowell (and embarrass myself, lol) ... but, she probably won't qualify as "literary". Although, I enjoy her earlier books - not so much the newest ones.

"Stewards of the Flame" by Sylvia Engdahl is (by my standards) literary, and has a romance in it. Actually, all her books are fantastic. This novel is for adults, but her other novels are geared towards the YA crowd. However, do NOT let that fool you. She is not YA, imo. The publishing house must have been nuts when they marketed her into that area. I've read all her books, and they're very good.

[Whittliz]

I too need a definition of literary quality," but I'm going to go ahead and suggest the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.

SO GOOD!

[Thalia the Muse]

I opened this to post Possession and The English Patient, and I was heartily beaten to it!

Hmmm, others. The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, both by Jessica Mitford -- they aren't very romantic romances, though! I find Out of Africa very romantic. Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Hey, how about A Room with a View? I love Forster.

[Laggie]

Gone With the Wind, of course... but then I'm partial to the classics.

[beanma]

I really liked Water For Elephants by Sarah Gruen. It's not exactly romance, but there is romance in it. I'm not sure what genre it would fall into. It'll be a major movie in a few years methinks. I know the rights have already been purchased.

[choli]

Originally Posted by Neuromancer

I loved I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It's not steamy, but it is literary and romantic.

I'm not usually much into romantic novels, but I did love that one!

[Amaranth]

Originally Posted by Sailor

What does "literary quality" mean?

No happy endings!

Seriously, don't dismiss all genre romance. Some of it is very good (I just finished a pretty funny analysis of it, called "Beyond Heaving Bosoms" by Sarah Wendell & Candy Tan).

It's young adult, but very high quality writing and plot and so romantic: The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner

Q Road, by Bonnie Jo Campbell (very unconventional romance, though)

People of the Book (only parts of it are romantic), by Geraldine Brooks

The Lost Garden, by Helen Humphreys

and especially Love Walked In, by Marisa de los Santos

[Thalia the Muse]

Oh, I just remembered one of the most romantic books ever -- Eucalyptus, by Murray Bail. It's awfully good.

[kaliki_kila]

Originally Posted by Amaranth

and especially Love Walked In, by Marisa de los Santos

Yes, and the sequel, Belong to Me. Her writing is very beautiful.

[Daffodil]

Some other ideas:
books by Laurie Colwin
So I Am Glad by A.L. Kennedy
Foreign Affairs by Alison Lurie
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver