Don't ask me why, but I really like when the heroine of a romance is a virgin at the start of the story (probably because I was a late bloomer myself, lol!).  Anyone have any recommendations of comtemporary romances with this theme?  I've already discovered Susan Elizabeth Phillip's stuff (love her!), and would like other suggestions.  TIA!

Well, Karen Marie Moning always has her heroines as virgins, but I don't know if they are considered contemporary even if the heroines come from a contemporary time.  I think they are always 27 and virgins.  I always found that odd that they are the same age.

I was going to say KMM too- I noticed the same thing as you, Kimberly!  Not sure if you are into the time-travel/paranormal aspect of those though, Amy.  I loved all of them though.  It seems like I remember at least a couple of Lori Foster's books in the Winston Brothers and/or Visitation series had heroines who were virgins.  There was also at least one Janet Chapman book that had one- dangit, can't remember the title, but it wasn't one of the Highlander books I'm thinking of, it was one of the others.  I'll edit if I remember.

Eta: got it- it was The Seduction of His Wife.

Lesley

Diana Palmer, if my memory is right, is another one who does contemporaries with virgins...just don't read too many in a row, I found that you can burn out quick on her books.

I think a lot of Catherine Anderson's books have virginal heroine's too. Not every one but several I think- they're quite good if you've never read her.

Sara

I was going to mention DP too, Eileen, with that same caveat.  I think I mentioned in a different thread before that her heroines always tend to be blonde virgins, just like nearly all her heroes smoke.

Speaking of virgins heroines, when I first started reading romances some 30-odd years ago, virtually ALL of the females were virgins (not talking about Regencies, either).   You can see how the books have changed with the times. 

Thanks ya'll!  If anyone thinks of any others I'd love to know!

I just read one by Jessica Bird (aka J.R. Ward) = An Irresistible Bachelor.   It was good - not great, but good.

I immediately thought of Diana Palmer.  She's fond of heroes who are Half-Native American too.

The heroine in Nauti Boy by Lora Leigh is a virgin-at the beginning anyway.  Don't get it if you don't like graphic sex. 

Chosen Prey by Cheyenne McCray-heroine's been too busy hiding and running for her life to get busy with anyone.  Until she meets the hero of course.

Very sweet virgin in Brockmann's The Unsung Hero. Also in Harvard's Education.

Most of Linda Howard's books(but not all) published before To Die For have virgin heroines, and (my opinion only) she's better reading than Diana Palmer. My favorites are Duncan's Bride, Heart of Fire, and After the Night

What about male virgins?

I read one recently where the male was a virgin, but I can't remember which book.  Untouched by Anna Campbell maybe?

Also, good old Jamie from Outlander was a virgin :-)

I'd like to see one with a contemporary virgin HERO; now that WOULD be different!

I've read some with virgin heroes, but for the life of me I can't remember them. I do remember however that even though he is a virgin he knows exactly what to do and how to please a women without any akwardness or fumbling involved lol

I have The Last male Virgin on my shelf.  It's a contempory about an anthropologist, by Katherine Deauxville.

The hero in Born in sin by Kinley MacGregor was a virgin. One of the best books in that series too.

I've read some with virgin heroes, but for the life of me I can't remember them. I do remember however that even though he is a virgin he knows exactly what to do and how to please a women without any akwardness or fumbling involved lol

I've read some of those and they do require quite a suspension of disbelief.  I don' t care now much reading you do about "it", you're not gonna be that good at "it" your first few times!!!

I loudly second Catherine Anderson. She's a wonderful author. I would also reccomend Debbie Macomber. I don't think all of her heroines are virgins but a lot of them are. I love her stuff.

My reminder and wish lists are growing (again).  Thanks for all of these great ideas.  Some of these authors I already have in my TBR, so I'm looking forward to checking them out. 

Debbie Macomber is probably the only author of the bunch I already know that I don't like.  I need more sizzle in my romance - I like steamy, lol!

hee hee..Michelle not only are they virgins but I don't even recall any sex scenes in Macomber's books LOL! I do like them though; at least most I've read.

Here is a list of virginal heroes from AAR, they have a great database for all kinds of romance http://www.likesbooks.com/lists.html

For some reason theres not heroine list lol

Medieval Romances

• Lion's Legacy (1996) by Suzanne Barclay - HH-304 - Kieran Sutherland
• The Shattered Rose (1996) by Jo Beverley - Galeran of Heywood
• My Forever Love (2004) by Marsha Canham - Ciaran Tamberlane
• The Marriage Bed (2001) by Claudia Dain - Richard
• Great Maria (1974) by Cecelia Holland - Richard d'Alene
• Unicorn Vengeance (1995) by Claire Delacroix - HH-293 - Wolfram
• Another Chance to Dream (1998) by Lynn Kurland - Rhys de Piaget
• Born in Sin (2003) by Kinley MacGregor - Sin MacAllister
• Three Dog Knight (1998) by Tori Phillips - HH-438 - Thomas Cavendish, Earl of Thornsbury
• In Pursuit of the Green Lion (1990) by Judith Merkle Riley - Gilbert de Vilers
• The Lily and the Leopard (1991) by Susan Wiggs - Rand Fitzmac

Regency Romances

• Gentle Conquest (1987) by Mary Balogh - Lord Ralph Chartleigh
• The Discarded Duke (2002) by Nancy Butler - Will Ridd
• An Unlikely Suitor (2002) by Nicola Cornick - Barnabas Hammond
• The Reluctant Cavalier (1996) by Karen Harbaugh - Parsifal Wentworth
• Libby's London Merchant (1991) by Carla Kelly - Dr. Anthony Cook
• The Naked Duke (2005) by Sally MacKenzie - James, Duke of Alford
• Snowdrops and Scandalbroth (1997) by Barbara Metzger - Lord Chase
• Sweet Bargain (1993) by Kate Moore - Nicholas Arthur Seymour, Earl of Haverly

European Historical Romances

• No Man's Mistress (2001) by Mary Balogh - Lord Ferdinand Dudley
• Forbidden (1994) by Jo Beverley - Lord Francis Middlethorp
• Beloved Heart (1997) by Mallory Burgess - Mick Harding
• The Wedding Officer (2007) by Anthony Capella - Captain James Gould
• Magic (1998) by Kimberly Cates - Ciaran
• Kate (1977) by Brian Cleve - Christopher Hatton
• Duchess in Love (2002) by Eloisa James - Sebastian Bonnington
• No Sweeter Heaven (1993) by Katherine Kingsley - Pascal LaMartine
• The Shadow and the Star (1991) by Laura Kinsale - Samuel Gerard
• The Naked Duke (2005) by Sally MacKenzie - James, Duke of Alford
• Touched by Fire (2002) by Kathleen O'Reilly - Colin Wescott, Earl of Haverwood
• Stolen Magic (2005) by Mary Jo Putney - Simon Malmain, Earl of Falconer
• Return to Night (1947) by Mary Renault - Julian Fleming
• Louisa Elliott (1989) by Ann Victoria Roberts - Edward Elliott

American/Frontier Historical Romances

• Summer Fancy (1997) by Anne Avery - Zeke Jeffries
• The Spirit Path (1993) by Madeline Baker - Shadow Hawk
• Family Man (1999) by Carol Carson - Rider Magrane
• The Way Home (1997) by Megan Chance - Aaron Wallace
• Apache Knight (1994) by Carol Finch - Shane Stafford
• The First Time (2000) by Kathryn Fox - Colin Fraser (set in Canada)
• The Reunion (2002) by Kathryn Fox - Adam McPhail (set in Canada)
• Wild at Heart (1997) by Patricia Gaffney - Michael MacNeil
• Laurel (1995) by Leigh Greenwood - Hen Randolph
• The Enchantment (1992) by Kristin Hannah - Dr. Lawrence Digby
• The Cowboy and the Lady (2001) by Lorraine Heath - Lee Raven
• Always to Remember (1996) by Lorraine Heath - Clayton Holland
• Lakota Surrender (1994) by Karen Kay - Tahiska
• Blue Moon (1999) by Jill Marie Landis - Noah LeCroix
• Forsaking All Others (1997) by Gail Link - Patrick
• Tim (1990) by Colleen McCullough - Tim Melville
• Sweeter Than Wine (1997) by Stephanie Mittman - Ethan Morrow
• The Love Charm (1996) by Pamela Morsi - Armand Sonnier
• Simple Jess (1996) by Pamela Morsi - Jesse Best
• Wild Oats (1993) by Pamela Morsi - Jedwin Sparrow
• Lacy (1991) by Diana Palmer - Cole Whitehall
• Temptation's Trail (1994) by Dana Ransom - Harmon Bass
• The Wedding Knot (1999) by Patricia Roy - Robert Hamilton
• The Endearment (1982) by LaVyrle Spencer - Karl Lindstrom
• His Stolen Bride (1999) by Judith Stanton - Nicholas Blum
• Heaven Can Wait (1994) by Cheryl St. John - Jakob Neubauer
• His Secondhand Wife (2005) by Cheryl St. John - Noah Cutter
• The Preacher's Daughter (2007) by Cheryl St. John - Benjamin Chaney
• The Tender Texan (1991) by Jodi Thomas - Chance Wyatt
• The Texan's Wager (2002) by Jodi Thomas - Carter McKoy

Contemporary Romances

• Sweet Carolyn's Keeper (2001) by Beverly Barton - Lyle Jennings
• Beginner's Luck (9/1989) by Dixie Browning - SD-517 - Clement Barto
• Take Hold of Tomorrow (1984) by Daphne Clair - HP-711 - Russ Langford
• The Invitation (1994) by Jude Deveraux - William Montgomery
• Ain't Misbehavin' (4/1985) by Jeanne Grant (Jennifer Greene) - SCh-256 - Mitch Cochran
• Private Practice (3/1990) by Leslie Davis Guccione - SD-554- Matthew Branigan
• Heaven Knows Best (1997) by Nikki Holiday - Alexander Winston
• The Virgin Groom (1997) by Joan Johnston - Mac Macready
• Wilde at Heart (2/1993) by Janice Kaiser - HT-429 - Jarred Wilde
• A Pocketful of Paradise (1997) by Kathleen Kane - Zacariah
• First and Forever (8/1991) by Katherine Kendall - HT-360 - Alex Shaw
• The Baby Maker (9/1995) by Jule McBride - HAR-599 - Ambrose Carpenter
• Secret Admirer (5/1993) by Susan Napier - HP-1554 - Scott Gregory
• Harden (3/1991) by Diana Palmer - SR-783 - Harden Tremayne
• Sutton's Way (9/1989) by Diana Palmer - SR-670 - Quinn Sutton
• Sheikh's Temptation (2000) by Alexandra Sellers - SD-1274 - Arash Khosravi
• The Baddest Virgin in Texas (6/1997) by Maggie Shayne - SIM-788 - Lash Monroe
• The Loner (9/1990) by Lass Small - SD-594 - Clayton Masterson
• Taken by a Texan (4/1998) by Lass Small - SD-1137 - Rip Morris
• Touch Not The Cat (1976) by Mary Stewart - Rob Granger
• The Bridegroom's Vow (3/2002) by Rebecca Winters - HR-3693 - Dimitrios Pandakis

Alternate Reality

• Both Sides of Time (1997) by Caroline Cooney - Hiram Stratton, Jr.
• Outlander (1991) by Diana Gabaldon - Jamie Fraser
• Heaven Knows Best (1997) by Nikki Holiday - A.G. Winston
• My One in Lovescape (1996) by Dara Joy - Trystan
• Ritual of Proof (2001) by Dara Joy - Jorlan Reynard
• The Soul Collector (1999) by Kathleen Kane - Zachariah
• Unleash the Night (2006) by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Wren Tigarian
• Lover Awakened (2006) by J.R. Ward - Zsadist
• Sam's World (1/1995) by Ann Williams - SIM-615 - Sam

The Mercenary by Cherry Adair-I think she was a virgin. 

In Worthy Any Price by Lisa Kleypas (a historical) the hero has only ever been with one woman and the heroine is a virgin.  Same with Duchess on the Run by Christa Fairchild.  Hero's was a virgin w/1st wife and she leaves him for being lousy in bed. So he has a bit of a complex about that. 

The only book I can think of reading where the hero was an actual virgin was a Western Historical by Yvonne Jocks.  I can't remember the name but it's one of the Rancher's Daughters books.  H/H fall in love as teenage school children. Hero is a sheep farmer and therefor not good enough for her. Dad sends her away to school and h/h save themselves for eachother and elope.  I think she's like 18 and he's 20 or something-both very young. Sweet story though.

I like my heroes to be experienced.  I like virgin heroines as long as it's plausible.  Like in Chosen Prey-it was believable that she was a virgin because she was young and running for her life.  Same w/Lawless by Diana Palmer.  Hero marries heroine when he's mid twenties and she's only 16-they marry to basically give him custody of her and protect her from her father.  So it's believable that she's a virgin because she was really too young before and everyone know's their married so who would she date? In some of DP other books it's kind of hard to believe that a beautiful woman would reach late 20's and still be a virgin because she's always loved the much older hero.  In a contemporary anyway.