So I’ve thought about this before (some of you may or may not have seen this on twitter) – but anyway, two of my favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Lisa Kleypas. I go to both their books as comfort reads. Once a book becomes a “comfort read” I also don’t always read it from cover to cover. I only read my favorite parts. (This may explain my extreme love of Lover Revealed – about half the book doesn’t exist for me!) Anyway, after the 8th or so reading, my mind may wander. Or in general. So now… we’re going to do a romance novel celebrity death match type deal. I’ve never really seen the show, and I heard someone somewhere in the ether of interweb-ness has done this before. Frankly, I don’t care. I haven’t seen it, and am pretty sure I’m not violating any IP laws – in case anyone wants to make a stink about it. (And am almost willing to go read up on the statutes. Just so you know.)
But. WITHOUT further ado… I give you the backlists of the two authors. And Honestly! Which heroes would win their matches? (And to be honest, I think they’re all rather evenly matched.) I also admitto not having read every novel by these authors. Hey – some are nearly impossible to find! Like The Copeland Bride by SEP (yeah – betcha didn’t even know this existed!) 😛
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Ok – so I used some of the older covers (I do NOT like some of the new ones) – but don’t worry. The links’ll take you to the newer and available versions. It’s also sad how all of SEPs old book covers are gone.
To start… St. Vincent (Devil in Winter – LK) and Lorenzo Gage (Breathing Room – SEP). Two playboys, who have a lot more depth than expected. Who do you think would win in a throw down, brawl, match (whatever you want to call it)? And/or any of the other heroes?
Ready? Set? GO GO GO!
Lisa, Lisa, Lisa!!!
Derek, Ross, Jack, Zachary, Marcus, HARDY, Gage… need I go on?
SEP never had a raspberry eating sex scene in her books. So Lisa wins, hands down.
LOL! Ok – well this was never supposed to be a sex-off O_o but I guess you could make it into one. (And *that* could get very interesting.) Like… I think Alex (SEP) and Nikolai (LK) would be pretty well matched in a fight -lol.
Lisa is a hands down winner for me! I have tried to read SEP a few times but she never really did it for me…yet!
And Sebastian would win any competition!
Marg – which SEP books have you tried? I think the two authors are distinctly different, but equally wonderful 🙂
Yeah, Lisa and strawberries. Adding Nick Gentry to your guys, Katie, and for sure, DEREK.
lol, ok so everyone loves the raspberry scene. Come on – doesn’t anyone think it’d be a fair fight between Derek and say a professional football player?
[Are there no contemporary readers/fans here?]
And… I purposefully excluded the Travis’s because … well there was an unequal number of books 😛 (And you know, historical v. contemporary)
OK, OK, contemporary & historical reader here! I’ve read most of LK’s but I’ve read all of SEP’s backlist, even the historical SEP wrote (Just Imagine). I love LK but IF I had to make a choice of what to take with me to the desert island, it would be SEP.
First, SEP writes some great humor and IMHO…every book needs a funny scene – or six. Two, SEP writes some “good grovel” – there’s nary a story in which one of the main protags doesn’t do some groveling – always enjoyable. Third, there’s some great sex in all these books, Natural Born Charmer especially has some inventive games & scenes. Fourth, SEP’s characters have some variation in ages…not all are 20ish to 30ish. Fifth, sometimes it’s just nice to read a story with people who are more like you than not and a story without all the staid conventions (chaperones, etc) that have to be in place to make a historical…well, a historical.
And having said all that – I love LK’s contemporaries too!
Peggy – thanks for those comments.
LOL I don’t know what else to do… the point isn’t pitting the authors or their works against each other… it’s the heroes! Which heroes from which books if ever to engage in a fight, would win?
I can see Cal Bonner pretending to be drunk… then unloading on say, Jack Devlin – though… not quite sure who would win that one either.
SEP’s Chicago Stars could totally pound on some of Lisa’s gents…but Grant and Derek could probably hang in with them pretty well.
c2-YES! (lol but which ones?) And… yeah. Grant = HUGE. and Derek is wily. I’d pair… Grant with… Dan, maybe. And … Derek with Kevin 😀 (no rhyme or reason to that one).
hmmmm and you know
they both have books coming out soon
just saying
Oh believe me. I know it. I’ve already got one pre-ordered. (And for LK you mean “Smooth Talking Stranger” – yes?)
Maybe I’ll have to try to do a battle-off b/t the two new heroes. 😛 And people will actually pit the HEROES against each other, not the authors. *rolls eyes* :X
(Yes I said it, alright?!?!?) *angelface*
I enjoy them both, and I have all their backlists. But for me, SEP edges it. Her books are richer, have more depth and I can re-read them more often. It’s a close thing, though.
But when Phoebe turned up to that funeral with her poodle and her outrageous clothes I fell in love.
Derek was okay, but I liked the hero of “Suddenly You” better (can’t be bothered to look it up, it means dragging out a plastic box from under the bed).
But SEP has Cal and she has Bobby Tom, and I didn’t have to look them up.
lol – I see, Lynne. So… if Dan had to fight one of LK’s heroes… which one would it be and who do you think would emerge victorious?
Hmmm.
Well Dan’s a big man, and he can fight dirty if he needs to, but Derek is street-smart, although a bit smaller than Dan (lean and mean) so that would be an interesting one to bet on.
Dan versus Zachary from “Where Dreams Begin.” I’d pay good money to watch that bout. Too even to say, really. What do you think?
Lynne – good call, on Zachary- you know… :X Dan is huge, but Zachary might have the edge here. Or… Zachary against Kenny Traveler? Or Nick against Kenny -they’ve all got that “hoodlum” background. Or either of SEPs against Derek.
Of course – Derek was attacked and taken down (yes he was taken unawares…) Soo… Derek > Dan > Zachary? :X
(In a fight, peoples. Haha, not that I prefer one over the other, so don’t come spitting at me.)
I have not read any of LK’s books so I can’t say what hero’s from hers, but I’ve read all of SLP’s and I’d take Cal Bonner in SLP’s Nobody’s Baby But Mine against any and all comers!
Besides I startled a room full of people when I read this one…when I started laughing at the Lucky Charm scene and couldn’t stop! LOL
Darla – You might want to try LK (different, but very good too) – but I love SEP and especially that scene you mentioned! I recently re-read/reskimmed Nobody’s Baby But Mine and I was still amused 😀 a cereal killer!
LOL, Did you sneak in and look at my bookshelves (well before I rearranged them)? I own or did own (still re-arranging shelves and havne’t found it yet , a copy of The Copeland Bride – pretty yellow cover) by SEP.
Out of the ones I’ve read and like you I haven’t read them all – I liked Copeland’s Bride best I think.
Tammy – WOW – I don’t know where/how one would find a copy. And it says she wrote it in collaboration? Maybe I’ll find a copy some day…
Would you choose the CB hero? And which LK hero would he fight? 😛 (I guess I was feeling blood thirsty when I wrote this.)
I don’t know where/how one would find a copy. And it says she wrote it in collaboration? Maybe I’ll find a copy some day
I actually got this when it first came out – and I’m still looking for it darn it – 3 more totes to go through, I”m hoping it wasn’t one of hte books that was ruined when we got a leak. Hence the reason I’m redoing my bookshelves.
Would you choose the CB hero? And which LK hero would he fight? (I guess I was feeling blood thirsty when I wrote this.)
ohhhh hard question, but I”d probably have to go with CP’s hero (and I’m drawing a blank on the names right now) I think he’d probably beat any of LK’s guys with maybe one exception (the hero from Mine till Midnight) and that’d be a draw.
I don’t think Kenny would fight anybody. Without proper motivation, of course. Dan vs Grant – yes! Bobby Tom vs Derek? Hmm. Who had the hook? Maybe he should fight Derek. LOL
Tammy – the CB’s hero? Now I’m doubly curious!! And I agree – I think Cam has a lot of hidden depths and.. you know – he knows how to street fight!
c2 – I think Kenny could fight, but yes, he’d have to be provoked. And wouldn’t *that* be interesting? The guy with the hook was the hero in Midnight Angel (Emma’s dad?) I’m blanking on names b/c my brain froze. Heat was @ 50. *cry* Haha – but we can’t have the heroes from the same author fighting each other! 😛
Tell you what lime, IF I can find the darn book I’ll put it up for sale on either eBay and let you know beforehand so you can have a chance to get it.
I think you’d like it!
Tammy- lol – thanks!