birdienl | Favourite authors: Luanne Rice (Reply)

Some time ago (a looong time) I posted about Jasper Fforde as a first part of a favourite authors 'series'. I've not forgotten this idea, so here's part 2!

LUANNE RICE

Luanne Rice is a bestselling American author of over 25 novels. I first started reading a few of her books which had been translated into Dutch, but I soon discovered there were many more in English. I've now read over half of her novels. You could say Luanne Rice is just one of many romance novelists, but in my eyes her books have something special. Her main characters are often men and women recovering from something tragic in their lives; the loss of a family member, a divorce. In the novel their road to recovery is described. Family relationships often play a large role in the novels; parents and children or brothers and sisters, enstranged, but finding their way back to each other. Luanne Rice's novels are also nothing if not romantic. I think one of the reasons her books pull people's heartstrings is because she can describe so poignant what happens if two people meet each other who are really soulmates. Is this realistic? Maybe not, but I personally do not love reading so much because I want a realistic picture of the world. There is heartache and sorrow in the books of Luanne Rice, but there's above all hope; hope that love, friendship and family can heal your heart.

What is most special about her novels however, is the setting. Most of the novels take place on the New England coast. Luanne Rice herself grew up in Connecticut, so she writes from the heart here, which is tanglible. The New England landscape, the Atlantic ocean and animals play an important role in Luanne's novels, often almost being a character. The main characters have a strong bond with nature or certain animals and this keeps them sane through hardships. In my own live I have the same experience, so I can relate to this aspect of the novels very well.

There is a little bit of magic in the books of Luanne Rice, no supernatural magic, but everyday magic. The magic of relationships between people and between people and animals or people and nature. Relationships of all kinds can save, heal and change us and this is often not to be explained by science. That sort of magic is omnipotent in Luanne Rice's novels and that makes me love them so much. The line I used for the LJ-cut is from the novel Beach Girls, but in my opinion it could just as well be the motto behind all the novels Luanne wrote and continues to write.

Dance with me and The edge of Winter are my two favourite Luanne Rice novels so far