Does anyone know of any good Lavyrle Spencer readlikes? I am pretty conservative in what I read and I had read a a few of her books back years ago. I remember most of her books as being sort of the sweet romantic type.  One  that I do remember really well was "Morning Glory" which I loved.

I have ordered several of her books, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some readlikes for her when I finish reading and re-reading her books. Someone suggested Pamela Morsi as one, I haven't read her books. Any and all suggestions are  welcomed.

Thanks!

I haven't read her yet but Debbie Macomber and Curtiss Ann Matlock are pretty tame in the sex dept if that's what you're looking for.

I second Curtiss Ann Matlock also!! Love her books.Here's a few others:

Dorothy Garlock

Victoria Bylin

Carolyn Davidson

Mary Burton

Ruth Langan

Jill Marie Landis

I'm not sure Spencer is really as you remember her... for a sweet romantic writer, she sure writes about adultery a lot. ;-)

Try Betina Krahn.  Some sex, but not the point of the story and with humor. 

Thanks for all the suggestions. And Willa, you could be right.....I read that book many years ago and I could be remembering it  differently than it is...

I think she is (was?)  a more daring writer than her reputation suggests. A while ago I was looking at reviews of Twice Loved and several people mentioned being really turned off by a very risque sex scene, which honestly wasn't all that out there -- I suspect it was just not what people expected of this writer.

Not that I want to turn you off her, because she's written some wonderful books. I haven't read Morning Glory but it seems to show up on a lot of Best lists.

Willa, Which Spencer books had a lot of adultry in them??? Most that i have read had adultry only as a side effect , meaning the hero/heroine struggled with trust issues because previous spouses/lovers had been unfaithful towards them. Only one i can think of off the top of my head where the heroine was unfaithful to the hero was " The Fullfillment" but that story line was off the beaten path anyway pertaining to the old fashioned way of having  a surrogate father so the hero's wife could become pregnant and have a child they both longed for.

Of course i've only read mostly her historicals, i suppose some of her contemporaries may contain adultry?

I recommend "Years","Morning Glory, and " The Endearment".

Willa, i think i know which scene in Twice Loved you are refering too.   Don't waste your time on Twice Loved anyway, i thought the storyline bombed anyway, i had  a hard time staying interested in that book. It was too drawn out and slow at times.

I don't recall her being mild in her writing.  Not only was there adultery, but her bedroom scenes are pretty descriptive.  Her romances are tender and her stories are long and in-depth but she's not without sex scenes.....really good ones, in fact.

Her adultery books were Bittersweet and Twice Loved.  In fact, she explored the relationship of the H/H when they were teenagers with their "first time" and then again as adults in Twice Loved. 

It's funny you feel that way Tanya, because I thought Twice Loved was incredible.  See how people just read things differently?

I don't want to do spoilers, but the Fulfillment really is also a book about adultery--emotional as well as physical. The heroine of Spring Fancy cheats on her fiance. The heroine of The Endearment tells tremendous lies to her fiance.  I have no objections to any of this, when it's well written and emotionally resonant.

I also couldn't get through Twice Loved. I thought it was dull and the characters behaved dishonorably. (I skimmed it.)  Would much rather read a book like Hearts of the West by Williamson.

 I think that "Morning Glory" was probably the mild book by Spencer that she was referring to.  I remember MG having bedroom scenes, but not descriptive or anywhere near risque.  In fact, I don't remember Twice having a risque scene either.  I guess everyone's opinion of how far is too far differs.

I loved her books, and Morning Glory is a favorite.  I don't remember them being super tame, though not all that risque either (even Twice Loved, which I liked).  They are just all reaaly emotionally deep.  It's funny b/c I was going to suggest Vows as a readalike, but then I realized why it reminded me so much of a LaVyrle Spencer book. . . it is one lol. 

FWIW.  All About Romance lists these as the authors to read if you like LaVyrle Spencer:

Lol -- Vows is another "adultery" type book.  The heroine cheated on her fiance.  A real underlying theme throughout her writing career.  Although, I found it amazing how she made you love the fiance!!

Monica, really? I will have to read that one. A loveable "other" is rare enough to intrigue me - or perhaps I'm assuming too much there?

Yes, Willa.  That was what was so amazing about her writing.....she got you to love both men rather than make the fiance be the big, mean wolf that mistreats the heroine.  The fiance's name was Charles Bliss, I think, and you felt so bad for him when the inevitable happens and they break up.  I always wanted Spencer to do a book about him because he was such a good character.  And I'm not really giving spoilers, because you knew from the jacket that the heroine would be faced with a choice. 

I adore Spencer and like the adultery theme (I know I should be ashamed!) she always handles it beautifully. The theme also appears in Separate Beds and Hummingbird. I do think her books are less spicey than others but still have beautifully written love scenes that are more prominent in some of her work than others.

I think Then Came Heaven and Sweet Memories along with Morning Glory are her more subtle novels.

Oh Okay, see i've never read Bittersweet, Vows or Seperate Beds. So that's probably why i didn't think she wrote too much about Adultry.

Twice Loved had a bit of a graphic sex scene involving the hero/heroine as teenagers. I remember it involved masturbation and i was thinking it was a little risque for that era and was a bit surprised how graphicly she described the scene and the ummmm, aftermath.

Robin........how about Susan Wiggs?? She's not too overly graphic in her sex scenes and writes pretty good stories.

Tanya,

I had not thought of Wiggs in a while. I have read one by her and liked it. 

I was also thinking of  Nora Roberts...I have never read a book by her.  I noticed Jillian Hart has some western romances that are not Christian fiction.

I do read some Christian fiction, but I don't like it really preachy. I am not offended by  love scenes in a book. I guess I just like to  be in the middle of the road.

Thanks for all the great ideas! I have compiled quite a list thanks to all of you.

Diann Mills, is great too. She's christian romance but not overly preachy.

Oh, Francine Rivers Redeeming Love is not overly preachy at all and has the most beautiful love story.  It's intimacy brings you right up to the moment and concentrates more on what each person is thinking rather than describing the act.  It's sooo romantic.

I was thinking about Redeeming Love just the other day and I could not remember the name of the book or the author. I have read that before and it is a wonderful story. Certainly worth reading more than once. It is an extremely romantic book. Michael never gave up on his love.

I just read Morning Glory.  Very moving.  I couldn't put it down and very truthfully, not my usual book.  I do like some sex and rock and roll in my romance books, but the heart strings were singing.  And great writing, too.  I am going to order more of Lavyrle Spencer's books.