It is officially wedding season. June is one of the most popular months to get married, and nothing says "love" like a romantic book. These authors have delivered true tales of romance—though many of them aren't considered "romance writers."
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Gabriel García Márquez: The magical realist penned two wonderful stories of love: Love in the Time of Cholera and Of Love and Other Demons. These novels transcend romance by weaving them into the greater context of politics and history.
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A.S. Byatt: In Byatt's Possession, two academics uncover a secret love affair between a pair of Victorian poets. The novel was turned into a movie (2002) starring Aaron Eckhart and Gweneth Paltrow.
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Colleen McCollough: What list of romantic authors is complete without the mastermind behind The Thorn Birds? This coming of age story has a healthy helping of drama and action, alongside a forbidden love that eventually overcomes even the most honorable of men.
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Mark Twain: The author's (Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance has no bearing on Twain's real life. And he labels to second part "Awful, Terrible Medieval Romance." The story's comedic approach makes it a refreshing take on classical tales of love and courtship.
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Joanne Harris: Harris penned an inspiring story of one woman's struggle to overcome prejudice and fit into a new community, which she pairs with an absolutely smoldering romantic plot. Chocolat has enjoyed continued admiration, thanks to the movie starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, and Johnny Depp.
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Laura Esquivel: Esquivel made waves with her stunning debut novel, Like Water for Chocolate. Her next novel, The Law of Love, blends romance with science fiction, and the theme of thwarted love shows up in several of her works.
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Joyce Carol Oates: In A Bloodsmoor Romance, Oates has given us a delightful anti-romance—that just happens to have romance, adventure, and excitement. With this novel, she tips her hat to the traditional elements of the literary romance that have shaped the modern novel.
Other legendary authors have dipped their toes into romance. Who are your favorites?
