This Rec League was sent in by Mari. Thanks, Mari!
I’m having difficulty finding romance reads for those of us ladies who enjoy romances featuring a mature storyline, with older heroines/heroes.
Red Feather recently shared a lovely May-December themed novel this month, and it was enjoyable, but if both the heroine and hero were older, that would be an ideal read. I think publishers forget that romance isn’t only for the young.
Life doesn’t end when our children are grown, or if our spouse passes away, We still want to live the rest of our life with someone to love and someone who loves us.
My husband and I have recently witnessed two of our friends fall in love again. They’re both over 65. They’re very happy together. It’s been lovely to watch.
Shana: My favorite romances with older adults are Courtney Milan’s hilarious Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure and A Tale of Two Florists by Brenna Bailey, which is sweet and comforting.
I just finished an erotic poly romance, The Oath by TM Richardson ( A ), where the characters are in their mid-forties, although they read as older to me. It’s about a widow whose late husband secretly asked his three best friends to date her after he was gone.
Sarah: There are a few that get rec’d often (and correctly!), like Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory, and Gray Hair Don’t Care by Karen Booth. ( A )
If you like erotica, Cherise Sinclair has written a few with older characters, and a plentiful helping of BDSM.
Kristen Ashley also writes a lot of 40+ leads – I remember when person after person discovered her books, they were vocally excited about the older characters.
I can’t believe this is 10 years old now – but Apples Should be Red by Penny Watson ( A | BN | K ) is a novella with older characters and it takes place around Thanksgiving.
And Teach Me by Olivia Dade has characters in their 40s and they’re both teachers at a high school.
In fantasy: The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen.
And if you’d like a queer kinky romance: Eight Kinky Nights by Xan West! ( A | K | AB )
Ok, one more – graphic novel Bingo Love by Tee Franklin.
Claudia: I really liked At Your Service, and the characters are older (in their 50s/late 40s) and unmarried, which I find it rarer to come by in books than widow/er and divorced characters I think because of the burden that society places on older unmarried/single people. Caveat that I didn’t like the rest of the series as much but the first book is great.
Sarah: Oh – The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies features heroines who are older
Claudia: YES! And I loved that one and I’m eagerly waiting the second book.
