Top Ten Tuesday: KissingBooks 101 Lesson Two (plus a HUGE Giveaway!)

Posted February 9, 2016 by meezcarrie in Christian, Dawn Crandall, Donna Hatch, giveaway, Jennifer Beckstrand, Jody Hedlund, Julianne Donaldson, Julie Lessman, Laura Frantz, Mary Connealy, Pepper Basham, romance, Top Ten Tuesday, Varina Denman / 352 Comments


Top Ten Tuesday Favorite

I. Am. SO EXCITED. As soon as I saw that today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic was a Valentine’s KissingBooks Day freebie, I knew immediately what my post would be about.  Way back in August, I wrote my KissingBooks 101 post and it remains one of my most popular/highest viewed posts.  But since then I have discovered some additionally swoon-worthy KissingBooks – or remembered some that I forgot about when I was writing the first lesson. I’ve had several people ask me to do another KissingBooks 101, and I am nothing if not accommodating when it comes to this topic 😉

kissingbooks 101 lesson 2 title

Before I begin our lesson, I need to make sure you have the necessary supplies.  An absence of any of the following could prove detrimental to your overall well-being as you progress through today’s notes.  Please remember: I am not responsible for any injuries incurred from a) lack of oxygen, b) overheating, or c) swooning.

Class Supply List:

  1. a fan.  More than one would not be remiss.
  2. alternative sources of oxygen
  3. I’m serious about that fan.
  4. a fainting couch
  5. in the absence of a fainting couch, a reasonable gathering of pillows and/or cushions will suffice to soften your fall in the event of a swoon
  6. Not kidding.  A fan.
  7. the official KissingBook scale (created with my friend, author Pepper Basham)

kissingbook scale

If you make it to the end of the post in a close facsimile of your right mind, you will have the chance to enter an AMAZING bundle giveaway from the authors I’m featuring today.  One winner.  ELEVEN BOOKS! I told you this was exciting!!

Ok. Enough chit-chat.  Let’s read some kissingbooks! 😀

mistress of tall acre

mistress

The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz is more than your typical marriage-of-convenience story. Rife with tensions from every side, this is a touching story of history – of healing, of new beginnings, and of friendship.  And some great kisses 😀 All Seamus has to do is say “Aye” and I melt into a little puddle with a goofy grin on my face. And when he puts his mind to kissing…. Well… goodness.

quotation mark 2Slowly he pressed his lips to her palm and then her wrist, moving up her bare arm to the lacy waterfall of her sleeve.  She shut her eyes, well beyond thought. Beyond words. His kisses lingered like a trail of fire on her skin.quotation mark

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the hesitant heiress

1.The Hesitant Heiress

Dawn Crandall’s writing style simply embodies talent – from her prose to her characterizations to her kissing scenes. (More on that in a second!) Amaryllis and Nathan quickly became one of my new favorite romantic pairings. In fact, I forgot to breathe so many times during The Hesitant Heiress that I’m surprised I didn’t need medical attention by the end 😉

quotation mark 2When it was obvious I was kissing him back and telling him everything he wanted to know, he drew me even closer, melding me to his chest. And then, as if that wasn’t close enough, he pressed me against the side of the deep sofa, his hands traveling up my back, then down again and then up my sides, as if he wasn’t able to touch enough of me to be satisfied.quotation mark

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Not only do you have the chance to win The Hesitant Heiress today on my blog, you can also enter Goodreads giveaways for all three books released so far in The Everstone Chronicles series by Dawn Crandall. Just follow the links below!

Goodreads Giveaway – The Hesitant Heiress

Goodreads Giveaway – The Bound Heart

Goodreads Giveaway – The Captive Imposter

suspect's daughter.png

suspect's daughter

The Suspect’s Daughter by Donna Hatch has it all – romance, suspense, great characters, skilled writing, and some quite spectacular kisses. Grant is a Mr. Darcy/Beast type hero. Jocelyn is full of humor and heart.  In short, the perfect setup for some sizzling chemistry between them!

quotation mark 2His expression defied description.  Whether he was aghast at her boldness, or terrified at the new path on which they’d taken a step, or simply shocked that she’d want to kiss him, she couldn’t say. Before she had too long to agonize over his reaction, he gathered her into his arms, kissing her over and over and over, a ravenous man setting upon a feast – no words of affection, no gentle touches, he simply devoured her in raw, true need.quotation mark

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a hope undaunted

hope undaunted

By now, you’ve probably already had to reach for a fan and I would like to take this moment to point out that all the books included in today’s lesson are classified as either Christian fiction or “clean” romance.  But as you can already plainly see, that in no way means that they are without passion.

In A Hope Undaunted, we crank up the heat a few notches with my absolute favorite Julie Lessman couple.  Their chemistry plus a great redemption story equal a truly fantastic read. Whew.

quotation mark 2As if under a spell, his gaze was drawn to her lips, parted and full, and the sound of her shallow breathing filled him with a fierce longing. “Oh, Katie,” he whispered, no power over the pull he was suddenly feeling. In slow motion, he bent toward her, closing his eyes to caress her mouth with his own. A weak gasp escaped her as she stiffened, but he couldn’t relent. The taste of her lips was far more than he bargained for, and he drew her close with a raspy groan. With a fierce hold, he cupped the back of her neck and kissed her deeply, gently, possessive in his touch. His fingers twined in her hair, desperate to explore.

And then all at once, beyond his comprehension, her body melded to his with an answering groan, and he was shocked when her mouth rivaled his with equal demand. Desire licked through him, searing his body and then his conscience. With a heated shudder, he gripped her arms and pushed her back, his breathing ragged as he held her at bay.quotation mark

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Head to Julie’s site to read her favorite romantic scenes from each of her books. Bring a fan there too. 🙂

Also, an FYI, A Hope Undaunted will be available for FREE download starting on March 1st through the end of May! Trust me, you will want to read this entire book.

isle of hope

1_A_ISLE OF HOPE FINAL COVER

With Isle of Hope, Julie Lessman made her first foray into contemporary romance and oohlala what a read! Isle of Hope will tear out your heart and put it back together, a little sore for the process but sweetly soothed all the same. It’s emotional and raw and convicting … but healing. But never fear, my faithful romantics!! There are kisses and sparks and HEAT aplenty!!!!! Ooooh boy- are there ever!

quotation mark 2He paralyzed her with a possessive kiss that obliterated all protest, any denial utterly lost in a groan that ached all the way up to her lips, which now trembled more than her limbs. Breathing shallow, she just stood there with eyes closed as if in a trance, barely aware he had pulled away for the chaotic beat of her pulse and the traitorous thrum of her body.quotation mark

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Julie Lessman will be offering Isle of Hope on sale for HALF-PRICE starting tomorrow (2/10) through the 14th! You can click on the Amazon button just above to go add it to your wish list and watch for the sale to kick in 🙂

The prequel novella A Glimmer of Hope is also available – only $0.99 on Amazon!

kisses kisses kiss

**ANOTHER CHANCE TO WIN ISLE OF HOPE (and another chance to read some pretty WOWZAH kisses!) – Head over to Seekerville today and check out Julie’s article on Kisses, Kisses, Kisses“!**

justified

justified full

Justified by Varina Denman is a beautifully written story of second chances – giving them, knowing when to stop, and learning the fine line between the two. When I read the first book in this series and tried my hardest to dislike Fawn, never in a million years would I have predicted who she would end up with in Justified. And oh honey! This romance? Wow!!! Full of sparks… and kissing! The Texas heat won’t be the only thing to raise the temperature 😉

quotation mark 2But then his hands gripped my shoulders in the darkness, and he frantically inched them up my neck to the sides of my face, finding my lips with one of his thumbs before pressing his mouth firmly against mine. 

It started quickly. Unexpectedly. One second we were sort of arguing, and the next second he was kissing me.quotation mark

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huckleberry hearts

huckleberry hearts

I laughed out loud a lot while reading Huckleberry Hearts by Jennifer Beckstrand.  I cried a lot too.  Oh yeah … I can’t forget to mention the kissing. WHEW! First of all, Zach is trying to be a man of honor which just makes him dreamier as far as I’m concerned, and while he’s not perfect he is sincere. Which makes the first kiss a doozy. 😀

quotation mark 2Without a second’s hesitation, he pulled her into him as if she were his missing piece. His solid arms enveloped her as he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her like a thirsty man in search of water. All she could do was hold on tight and hope that her legs would still support her when he let go.quotation mark

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now and forever

now and forever

Though Now & Forever is the second book in the Wild at Heart trilogy, it’s my favorite of the three.  It’s truly Mary Connealy at her best. Madcap adventure, hilarious dialogue, toe-curling kisses, and characters that you wish you could invite to dinner. There’s a lot of laughter, a lot of kisses, and a lot of tenderness.  I of course had to pick a kiss that encapsulated all three 🙂

quotation mark 2“…Those nightmares you have, when was –?”

She kissed him.

When the kiss ended, Tucker lifted his head and frowned, though there wasn’t much serious about it. “Don’t try and distract me.”

She kissed him again, harder, deeper.

“If you do this every time I try and ask you about the war” — Tucker kissed her so hard he bent her back over his arm — “then you are going to find yourself questioned about it many times a day.”quotation mark

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a noble groom

NobleGroom_mck.indd

Ok. First things first.  That cover. Be still, my book-boyfriend-collecting heart! I could quite happily stare at this cover all day. BUT inside is a story that will engage all of your emotions.  My friend Georgianne and I were talking about Jody Hedlund’s A Noble Groom, and she remarked that “it wasn’t an easy read, but the sweet romance made the pain and heartache easier to bear.”  Agreed.  The sweet romance… and one particular kiss in the rain 😀

quotation mark 2He slid down from the post and stepped into the rain. With a jerk he tossed his hat to the ground. Then he came toward her, his eyes hungry, his footsteps certain, his eyes trained on one place – her lips. 

The rain trickled down her face and her neck. Her body trembled with the strange need for his fingers to follow the path of the rain. He stopped in front of her, and his breath came from deep within his chest. His gaze didn’t waver from her lips, even when he reached up both hands – one on either side of her face – and intertwined them into the long damp strands of her hair. 

Her breath caught in her throat. 

His fingers dug deeper into her hair, drawing her to him, and she was helpless to do anything but fall against him. He dipped his head toward hers, and his lips came down on hers decisively, without faltering, almost as if he’d made his decision to kiss her and wouldn’t let anything stop him.quotation mark

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edenbrooke

edenbrooke cover.jpg

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson was one of the books whose absence from my first KissingBooks 101 post was most bemoaned. (Julie Lessman and Dawn Crandall’s books also were among the championed.) You were right to raise an outcry at my exclusion of all of the above.  Edenbrooke is for Regency fans, for KissingBook fans, for Austen fans.  The romance is full of intense emotions that will leave you breathless – and just when you think you might be on your way to oxygenating normally again, this kiss happens:

quotation mark 2He crossed the room to me and grabbed me by the shoulders.  In three steps, he had me backed up against a bookcase.  Before I could do more than catch my breath, he took my face in his hands and kissed me.quotation mark

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the thorn keeper

thorn keeper

Trust me when I say that the romance in Pepper Basham’s The Thorn Keeper is delicious and toe-curling and oh-so-heart-clenching. Catherine – sassy, sweet and strong in spite of her brokenness, yet in many ways uncertain. David – focused, dedicated and true but carrying the weight of forced burdens on his shoulders. When he turns that focus and dedication and true-ness in Catherine’s direction??? SWOON!!! Oh… and you’ll find that you suddenly develop a craving for peppermint. Or maybe that last part was just me. 😉

quotation mark 2She pulled him to her and they stumbled back against the cold, stone wall, his hand cupping the back of her head. Peppermint and a warm glow surrounded her, intoxicating and glorious. His kiss. The man she’d come to not only love, but admire. The friend who teased her and kept her couched within the comfort of his care. The man who caused her heart to ache with such a powerful love, she thought she might explode. A fairytale? Fresh tears blended with the heat on her face. How could she ever deserve such sweet affection?

“Heaven help me, you taste like Christmas!” She breathed between them, keeping her mouth close enough to feel the warmth of his breath. To encourage another sampling.quotation mark

(I’ve become slightly obsessed with that last line of Catherine’s … “Heaven help me, you taste like Christmas!” Whew.)

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The Thorn Keeper comes out on February 28th but it’s available right now to preorder at a great price of only $4.99!

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So if you’re still with us… and you haven’t fallen into a kissingbook induced swoon, you’ve made it to the most incredibly awesome part of today’s post.  One of my lucky readers will win ELEVEN books, all donated by the authors and publishers featured on this post!!! I am so honored and grateful for their willingness to humor my love of KissingBooks and to participate in this bundle giveaway.

Included in the KISSINGBOOKS 101 LESSON 2 GIVEAWAY are:

The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall, A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund, Now & Forever by Mary Connealy, Justified by Varina Denman, The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz, Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson, Huckleberry Hearts by Jennifer BeckstrandThe Thorn Keeper by Pepper Basham, The Suspect’s Daughter by Donna Hatch, Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman and Romance-ology 101 by Julie Lessman. 

Click on the graphic below to enter at the Rafflecopter link.  Some prizes are paperbacks, others are digital copies.  Choice is at the discretion of each author/publisher. Giveaway will be open until Sunday February 14th.  US mailing addresses only.

kissingbook giveaway

Rafflecopter Link

Feel free to get a jump on the giveaway by answering the following question in the comments:

What is YOUR favorite KissingBook?

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352 responses to “Top Ten Tuesday: KissingBooks 101 Lesson Two (plus a HUGE Giveaway!)

  1. Bonnie Roof

    My favorite Kissing Book – you want to really put us “on-the-spot”, don’t you, Carrie, lol?? I’ve read many of the books in your above list and loved each of them, their authors, and of course – the kissing scenes enclosed. There have been SO many wonderful kissing scenes in the beautiful books I’ve read, however, I would be less than honest if I didn’t admit that my favorite Kissing Book is ANY of those written by the “Kissing Queen” herself, Julie Lessman. She had me at the first kiss in the first book of hers I read, “A Passion Most Pure” – so long ago!!

    My thanks to you and each of the authors involved in this wonderful giveaway!! Love your blog!!

  2. julielessman

    CARRIE!!!!!!!!

    I cannot tell you HOW excited I am to be on your list — not once, but twice, so GOD BLESS YOU, girlfriend!!!

    And, WHEW! Wonder if my hubby will notice if I flip the thermostat from heat to A/C??? Goodness, there is NOTHING I’d rather talk about than kisses, so THANK YOU for a truly wonderful post that introduces me to a number of new authors to me.

    And my Seeker post, Kisses, Kisses, Kisses, happens tomorrow, so I hope you and your readers come by Seekerville to check it out.

    Hugs and more hugs,
    Julie

  3. carrieturansky

    Wonderful list, and fun to read those kissing scenes. I’m listening to a wonderfully romantic book right now, Blackmoore, by Julianne Donaldson. It’s definitely sigh-worthy!

  4. O Carrie! Love love love your list! I sure agree with those on your list except that I haven’t read a few like Justified and Edenbrooke, but I will. I WILL! My favorite have to be one of my all time faves, A Passion Most Pure by Miss Julie Lessman. Ahhhh. Hope Undaunted was a close second there too. Recent ones that had me needing a “fan” was The Hesitant Heiress and Isle of Hope. Great list Carrie! Great list….*sigh

  5. I have a poor memory. Maybe I need to keep a list! I’m going to go with what’s freshest in my memory since it releases today, and it’s super-fresh in my memory. Despite the fact this is a rather bleak love story in parts, the kisses were pretty hot. So, End of the World by Amy Matayo.

  6. Kav

    Blissful sigh. Now I know why your computer was fussing at you. Perhaps your gnome is female and…well…providing her with a fainting couch might go a long way towards settling your technical problems. 🙂

  7. I saw Edenbrooke on another list while I was trying to refresh my memory of some great fictional characters, while creating my list. I may have to check it out. The Hesitant Heiress sounds really interesting too.

    Question: Have you ever read the Buccaneers series by Linda Lee Chaikin? It starts with Port Royal. It’s an older series. I don’t read a lot of “Christian” fiction, but this is one I read ages ago, and go back to every once in a while because, well, Pirates. It seems like it would be something you might enjoy.

  8. A favorite kissing book? JUST ONE?!?!? Carrie, you do me a disservice. 😉 Yesterday–and I literally mean YESTERDAY because I’m reading a Tamara Leigh book TODAY–my favorite kiss is in Sarah Monzon’s second book…that isn’t released yet. And she has a few swoonworthy kisses in this book. (Are you jealous that I’ve read these kisses? LOL!) But seriously. The first–and only–kiss in the historical thread of her book…wow. WOW. <3

  9. andreamichellenell

    My fav kissing book … There are so many good ones to choose from! Captive Imposter by Dawn Crandall

  10. I don’t think I can pick a single book but Julie Lessman is my go-to author for passionate kisses and Mary Connealy is the expert on humorous cowboy kisses. I have some of the books in your list sitting in my ready to read pile right now, just have to pick which one to dive into first! Thanks so much for sharing this list, I added a few more to my wishlist and got to relive some of my favorite kissing moments as well. I’m going to need that fan if I win and I’ll have some happy girlfriends because I’ll be sharing the love!

    • julielessman

      BETH, God bless you, my friend — THANK YOU!! And you might want to stop by Seekerville tomorrow for my blog entitled KISSES, KISSES, KISSES because not only do I post my favorite Mary Connealy cowboy kiss, but I’m posting one of my own from my upcoming novella in Seekerville spring collection. It can’t touch Mary’s, but heaven knows I try … 😉

      Hugs!
      Julie

  11. I don’t have a favorite because I love them all. I love the moments leading up to that first kiss. The excitement and unsure that is there. They make me giddy.

  12. Rachael Merritt

    We have to pick ONE!? Do you know how hard that is?? I’m torn between Dawn Crandall’s The Captive Imposter and The Thorn Keeper by Pepper Basham. Though Tamera Alexander, Jody Hedlund,Julie Klassen, and Laura Frantz are all amazing at bringing the best of sweet romance to a novel as well. 🙂 You must have had loads of fun doing this post! 🙂

    • haha, you don’t really have to pick ONE. After all, I clearly didn’t limit myself haha. And oh goodness, this post, I swooned my way through the research and the writing of it LOL 🙂

  13. Oh Carrie! This is so FUN and has your creative, fun-loving self all over it:) It’s a joy that you chose one of my very favorite scenes in TMoTA:) I actually had to rewrite that one several times to get it right, until I felt I was there in that lovely parlor with them. Or maybe I was wishing I was Miss Menzies ;)! Thanks for such great book buzz with all these fine authors who strive to honor the Author of true romance. Bless you so much! <3

  14. Katelyn Repke

    Favorite kissing book….how to narrow it down? My new current favorite is The Lost Heiress by Roseanna White. Definitely worth a read!

  15. You got my favorite one, Edenbrooke!!! Hands down the best anticipation leading up to it and then that kiss? It totally delivered! Her other book Blackmoore is also in my top favorites 🙂

  16. Brandy Tyler

    Such a great list! I can’t choose between Dawn Crandall’s The Hesitant Heiress Julie Lessman’s A Hope Undaunted.

  17. Dawn Crandall

    Thanks for adding The Hesitant Heiress to such a great list of romances, Carrie! I’m honored you think such wonderful things about my writing and my characters! I do love this post so much! I’m so glad there are bloggers out there (like you!) who are unashamed of celebrating romance! ❤️

  18. Dawn Crandall

    I forgot to mention my favorite! Actually there are a few of my favorites on this list–at least of the ones I’ve read so far–and they are A Noble Groom, A Hope Undaunted and The Thorn Keeper. I still need to read the rest–I have The Mistress of Tall Acre, Edenbrooke and Blackmoore all on my nightstand waiting for me when I finish writing my next book releasing–The Cautious Maiden. I’ve been told that Edenbrooke and Blackmoore are similar to mine, since they are also historical romance written from strictly the POV of the heroine. 🙂 I’m pretty sure I’m going to LOVE them! ❤️

    • They ARE similar to yours, Dawn! Though you and Julianne Donaldson write in a different time period and you each have your own unique voice. You will love those books 😀

  19. Hi Carrie! Great blog today! Several of these books are on my TBR stack and you have me wondering who will rise to the top. BTW: I just finished Meant To Be Mine by Becky Wade, per your recommendation, (and Pepper’s too), and my goodness girl, I will never think of the kitchen pantry the same way again! That Ty is OoooLaLa! Makes me want to go buy a pair of cowboy boots!

  20. Jordann

    I Loved A Passion Most Pure! But my all time favorite kissing book is Gone with the Wind! This is such a great giveaway!!

  21. Jamee Love

    My favorite kissing book is “The Colonel’s Lady” by Laura Frantz. When he FINALLY kisses her I think I actually squealed. lol

  22. 1.) what a fun list for this week, Carrie. 2.) Yay for Jody Hedlund and Laura Frantz. 3.) love how you put this list together (including the quote of the scene).

    Thanks so much – as always, for visiting DUTSM blog. 🙂

  23. pepperbasham

    I think Jody Hedlund’s hero in A Noble Groom is a #5 Hero! YEP! Definitely. He’s one of my favorite heroes I’ve ever read. LOVED him. The kiss was super duper too, but oh my goodness, he was just remarkable!
    And then, of course, there is Red Shirt from Laura Frantz. For such a quiet character, he definitely could heat up the scene. Oh my goodness – fantastically memorable. But…we’ll save swoon-worthy heroes for another one of your Tuesdays, Carrie 😉 But heroes are very important to the kiss, of course

  24. pattymh2000

    I think Julie Lessman’s books would have to top my list.
    I did love that scene in A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund!

  25. Karen

    You’ve mentioned almost all of my favorite authors! Julianne Donaldson, Julie Lessman, Laura Frantz, Jody Hedlund, Dawn Crandall and Mary Connealy AND Pepper Basham!! I haven’t read anything from the other authors in the giveaway, but have their books on my wishlist now! Favorite kiss??? Wow; how to choose? Julie Lessman is so good at writing some great kisses and strong chemistry between characters. I think the chemistry leading up to the kisses can really intensify them! I just can’t choose one, though…hope I’m not disqualified! 🙂

    • YES! The chemistry leading up to the kiss is key! And of course you won’t be disqualified LOL – i couldn’t even limit myself to 10 😉

    • julielessman

      KAREN!! Girl, first of all — THANK YOU!! Secondly, you NAILED it by saying ” think the chemistry leading up to the kisses can really intensify them!”

      YES, YES, YES!!! In fact, I have a page on my website called My Fave Kissing Scenes that says that as well — emotion on top of emotion to build to the kiss, which is what I LOVE to do!! I’m sure glad you like it too! 😉
      Hugs,
      Julie

  26. Trisha

    I enjoyed reading your blog and thank you for introducing me to a couple of new books that I’ve now added to my “to read” stack!

  27. Pam Graber

    Tamara Leigh “Baron of Godsmere”. Or, Melissa Jagears “A Bride for Keeps.” These were just two of my faves! Sounds like I need to read more Julie Lessman!!! 🙂

    • yes! Melissa Jagears was on my first KissingBooks 101 post – in August. Love her books 🙂 I still need to read Tamara Leigh, I’ve heard such great things! And yes, you certainly do need to read more Julie Lessman lol.

    • julielessman

      LOL, PAM GRABER … I would concur with that, my friend, so I invite you to drop by Seekerville tomorrow when I blog about KISSES, KISSES, KISSES with some of my favorite scenes. AND you can also read some of my favorite love scenes on my blog, both under the “KISSES, KISSES, KISSES” tab AND the “EXCERPTS” tab that lists my favorite romantic AND spiritual scenes from each of my books!
      And don’t forget A Hope Undaunted will be available for FREE DOWNLOAD on 3/1!!
      Hugs,
      Julie

  28. The New Deputy in Town (Whitehorse Montana #2)
    by B.J. Daniels is one I remember as being a good ‘kissing book’. There are so many it is hard to chose one.

  29. Rebecca F

    Wow, I haven’t read most of the books listed here. I need to do some more reading! I would say my favorite kissing book is “A Hope Undaunted”.

  30. I absolutely adore your topic this week! What a great idea. I haven’t read any of these, but I’ll be looking into them now, especially The Noble Groom (that one might be worth it just for the cover, lol)

  31. Shannon S.

    I am now going to have to start working my way through these books! Julie Lessman always has the best kissing scenes–I always buy her books. I’ve also read Edenbrooke which is wonderful too. The rest I can’t wait to read!

    • julielessman

      SHANNON!!! Thank you, sweetie, MUCH appreciated! And I invite you to drop by Seekerville tomorrow when I blog about KISSES, KISSES, KISSES with some of my favorite scenes BECAUSE … there will be a brand new love scene posted from my upcoming Western novella, For Love of Liberty, which is a la Mary Connealy, a dear friend and favorite author!
      Thanks again, Shannon and GOOD LUCK!
      Hugs,
      Julie

  32. I think I might have to do some serious re-reading to choose a favorite – starting with Mary Connealy’s Wild at Heart series, since I’m sure Now & Forever would make my list too! Almost every book on your list is already on my virtual TBR list, and are now being moved a bit higher thanks to those quotes 😉

  33. You weren’t kidding about needing a fan. I quite like your lesson. I might need to re-read it a few times to make sure I got everything though. 😉 They all sound good.

    • haha thanks! I am actually planning to do another one in a few months. Maybe around my wedding anniversary in September? I might not be able to wait that long 😉

  34. Kayla

    I love this list!! I’m always looking for some “clean”, but still swoon-worthy books and I’m so excited to start working through this list!!! My absolute favorite kissingbook is A Gown Of Spanish Lace by Janette Oke!!

  35. Andria Maus

    One of my favorite kissing books has got to be one of Dawn Crandall’s books. I’ve read all three so far and absolutely love The Captive Imposter.

  36. Emilee

    Love your fun list! In my opinion, the book I had to fan myself while reading was Edenbrooke. But the kissing scene that stands out in my mind the most is in Becky Wade’s A Love Like Ours.

  37. Pam K.

    It’s hard to narrow it down to just one favorite but A LOVE LIKE OURS by Becky Wade should be on the great kissing book list. I agree that you can always depend on Julie Lessman if you want to read about kissing!

    • julielessman

      Thanks, Pam, SO appreciate your sweet comment!

      And I have to chime in here to say Becky Wade is one of my TOP favorite authors and on my auto-buy list — LOVE her, LOVE her books!

      Hugs,
      Julie

  38. Lynne Feuerstein

    Wow! What a list! Thank You for this wonderful and swoon inducing post! 🙂 I would have to say one my favorite kissing books is A Hope Undaunted ( from one of the queens of kissing books ;Julie Lessman) Although choosing among her books is hard (they’re all very romantic ) A Hope Undaunted has some of the most swoon worthy scenes in the series of O’Connor books. Thanks again for this fun post and giveaway!

    • julielessman

      LYNNE — I knew I liked you, girlfriend!! 😉 AHU is my fave, too, because Luke McGee is tied with Mitch Dennehy as my FAVORITE heroes, although I do love them all! 😉 Thanks for all your support, my friend — you are a true blessing!
      Hugs,
      Julie

    • Haha! Yay! 🙂 And ohhhh yes, Becky Wade writes some great kissing scenes! Meant to be Mine was on my last KissingBooks post in August 🙂

  39. Wow, what a list of swoon worthy books ! I need to get busy reading ! Well gee, it’s so hard to list just one favorite kissing book. I feel guilty for leaving others out but the one I am currently reading is The Oregon Trail Romance Colection. It has 9 swoon worthy authors and I am loving this book about life on the trail.

  40. Winnie

    What an awesome giveaway! They all look wonderful and I’ve only read a couple of them! Thanks for the chance to win and for letting us know about all these fabulous books! 🙂

  41. Candice E. Sheets

    Great blog! I loved all your prior choices and interested in reading your current ones! Some of my faves are
    Water for Elephants
    Twilight Saga
    The Notebook
    The Only One
    There’s so many….

  42. Heather Olsen

    I have always thought that Julie Lessman, Jody Hedlund and Denise Hunter’s books have the best kissing scenes.

    • julielessman

      HEATHER, THANK YOU!!! Denise Hunter happens to be one of my auto-buy authors, meaning I will read/buy everything she writes, so that’s a true compliment!! And I love Jody, too, of course, but Denise has long been on the kissing throne for me!!

      Hugs!!
      Julie

  43. Karen

    Glad you referenced when the original list was posted. Looks like I have almost twice as many to catch up on. They all seem like great selections!

  44. pepperbasham

    I think you have a winner in this post, Carrie! And I foresee a ‘Heroes that Make you Swoon” post in your future. You already have listed at least 3 in the comments section. Hurrah for the Swoony Heroes!

  45. Wow! What a great idea for this post, and you picked some incredibly swoonworthy scenes. As I recall, Jody Hedlund’s Beacons of Hope series has some great kissing scenes too. 🙂

  46. Awesome post! I love how you created this list and the quotes were definitely swoon worthy 🙂

    I loved Edenbrooke and have enjoyed the other books from the “Proper Romance” line but Edenbrooke holds a special place in my heart. I can’t believe I haven’t read any of the other books on your list though I have read novels by Laura Franz and Julie Lessman in the past.

    I should read more Christian romance. I have been disappointed with some of the contemporary romance novels I’ve read lately because they focus more on lust than love and tend to be more graphic than I’d like. I have found several books to add to my TBR list from your post. Thanks!

    • that is such a fine line – between lust and love – Becky Wade and Denise Hunter and Carla Laureano all do a marvelous job. Varina Denman and Sarah Monzon too. Pepper Basham has a great contemporary romance coming out in April – you will love that one too!

  47. That’s such a creative type of list! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything listing kisses in books before. I loved reading all the kisses (swoon), but my favorite was probably the one from Edenbrooke – direct and effective! I haven’t read any of these books, but I will be looking into some of them now!
    Bruna @ Bruna Writes

  48. Katy C

    I honestly don’t have the actual kissing scenes stick with me too much (but I love reading a good kissing scene!). My favorites from last year are Isle of Hope (which you have covered!) and the Camdyn series by Christina Coryell (which has a lot of kissing!). For this year, Denise Hunter’s Barefoot Summer and Married ’til Monday both have some great swoon-worthy scenes.

    • julielessman

      KATY!!! Thanks for reading Isle of Hope — MUCH appreciated, my friend! And DO let me know if you posted a review so I can enter you in my contest to have a character named after you in my next book, okay?

      HUGS!!
      Julie

  49. Some of my favorite kissingbooks are Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, Alienated by Melissa Landers (I found it sweet and hilarious that Aelyx researches how to kiss on Youtube) and the Lunar Chronicles series (except for Fairest-not romantic at all) by Marissa Meyer

  50. carylkane

    Carrie, this is such a fun topic! I recently read Laura Frantz’s the Ballantyne Legacy series. I loved the sizzle between Eden and Silas. I also enjoy Dawn Crandall’s The Everstone Chronicles. I’ll be checking out some more from your tantalizing list…….

  51. Trixi

    You had me alternating between fanning myself & having to sit on my swooning couch with an oxygen mask….oh my! I think my favorite cover would have to be Jody’s “A Noble Groom”….your comment about your book-boyfriend-collecting heart made me chuckle because I do the same thing 🙂 Favorite KissingBook, no way could I name one, they’ve all been good!!

  52. Oh my goodness I love this!! Such a fun list. I am finally at the top of the library wait list for The Hesitant Heiress and I am so excited. I absolutely love Edenbrooke. I’m rereading it now just for fun actually. Ah, so good! Thanks for stopping by my TTT 🙂

    • yay, Jane!! I can’t wait to hear what you think of Hesitant Heiress! I reread Edenbrooke just for fun for the purpose of this blog post too. Such a great book! Now I need to read Blackmoore! Thanks, Jane 🙂

    • julielessman

      Hey, Rhonda, thank you SO much for your interest in Isle of Hope! And good news! It’s on sale for HALF OFF for three more days, so now’s the time to check it and its 5-star rating on Amazon out, okay?
      Hugs and Happy Reading!
      Julie

  53. I just read a Harlequin Historical Love Inspired book that had such sweet and swoony kissing scenes – Sherri Shackelford’s, The Rancher’s Christmas Proposal. This was my first LI historical and because it’s so fresh in my mind, it has an edge as a favorite “kissing” book. I was impressed with how much I loved this book. I still smile when I think about it. 🙂

  54. Michele Hayes

    My favorite kissing book is whichever one I’m currently reading. All I read is romance so they all have kissing to some degree. Thanks for the chance to win.

  55. That is an ESSENTIAL supplies list! I’m happy to say I’ve read 5 of these and am currently reading Pepper’s. 🙂

    And that scene from The Mistress of Tall Acre is possibly my favorite from the book! I love this quote from Sophie’s thoughts that follows: “Was this how love began? Softly? Unexpectedly? With pangs of aching sweetness?”

    More favorite “kissing books” would have to be Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter (ahem, mistletoe) and Told You So by Kristen Heitzmann. Man, those girls can write some chemistry!

  56. Mallori

    How can I choose a favorite kissing book? The above are all great choices too. I’ve only read “A Noble Groom” but the those excerpts make me want to go out and buy all the rest!

    • julielessman

      Oh, MALLORI, really? Only one??? YIKES … Carrie has nailed it on this post as far as great CBA kissing goes, so I hope you print the list off and systematically check each one off. And if you’re looking to start economically, may I recommend beginning with the prequel to Isle of Hope, which releases March 1st? It’s only 99 cents for preorder right now, which is 66% off the release-date price, so it’s a good way to ease in. Of course, A Hope Undaunted, which is also on Carrie’s list, will be available for FREE DOWNLOAD starting March 1st, too, so those are two options you may want to consider. And if you do and like them enough to post a review, just let me know, and I’ll enter you in my contest to have a character named after you in my next book, okay?

      Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
      Julie

  57. Kristi

    My absolute favorite is Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz. Love all of her books actually. Julie Lessman regularly makes me blush with all of her kissing books 🙂

    • julielessman

      LOL, KRISTI … not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but either way I love depicting romance as I believe God intended it to be — utterly passionate, both romantically and spiritually, as exemplified in one of God’s greatest romance novels — The Song of Solomon! 😉

      And I have to say that Laura Frantz is in my TOP THREE list of auto-buy author as well as being a dear friend, but my faves of hers are Love’s Reckoning and The Colonel’s Lady. Sigh.

      Hugs and Good Luck!
      Julie

  58. Sheila Watson

    Oh my! What a fantastic list! I want them all! I just finished The Chance by Karen Kingsbury. It was very good. My all time favorite is a Pepper Basham book. Would love to win these.

  59. Amy

    These books all look great – I’m really looking forward to reading them all. Justified looks especially appealing to me!

  60. Kishona - Life in Lape Haven

    There are so many good ones now! My favorite “kissing books” are the ones that have a scene or two where the interaction between the lady and her guy gives me excited butterflies in my stomach, whether it’s from something they say, a look or reaction, or of course, a great kiss. 🙂 That’s just good writing!

  61. Elizabeth Riggs

    Every Julie Lessman book, of course, deserves to be on a kissing list. Talk about cranking up the heat! A few others I’ve read recently that had me swooning are The Wood’s Edge by Lori Benton, Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund and A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade.

  62. loriparrish782

    Julie Lessman I finally got isle of hope!! The cover was really inviting me to read it. Thanks Carrie for your wonderful list of books

    • julielessman

      OH MY GOODNESS, LORI … did you really??? WOW, thank you SO much, my friend! Is this the first of my books you will have ever read? I’m asking because I got the impression from your accidental “congrats” on Julie Klassen’s FB post that maybe you have never read me before? Just curious. 🙂

      Hugs and HAPPY READING, and if you like it and let me know, I will send you the prequel to IOH (which you do NOT have to read before IOH) free, okay?

      Julie

  63. Of your list, I’ve only read The Hesitant Heiress by Dawn Crandall, so I can’t really answer the question. You have some good ones listed that are on my TBR list.

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