Auto-buy Authors definition: You don’t have to know anything about their latest book, you just buy. As soon as the release hits the shelves.
My auto-buy authors have changed a lot over the years, partly as my genre preferences have changed, but also because the internet has opened my eyes to numerous new-to-me authors out there. You can probably guess at my list from either my monthly new releases posts (they’re always on there!) or my sidebar with authors I’ve blogged about, but I thought it would be interesting to pull both past and present together in a single post. And then I decided to break it down by genre, else it would be a bit of an epic post.
So first up, romance.
Historical romance
There was a time when historicals made up the majority of my reading, now it is very rare that I run out to buy one on the day of release. So the authors I still buy: Eloisa James (true fangirl here), Jo Beverley (primarily for her Georgian settings), Julia Quinn, possibly Lisa Kleypas (if she ever returns to historicals).
Old favourites who I’ve stopped buying: Amanda Quick, Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood , Mary Jo Putney, Stephanie Laurens. Their recent releases (recent being relative here) feel as though they’ve lost the magic that their early books had.
Authors who have sadly passed away: Georgette Heyer – I’ve all her books, both romances and mysteries; Elizabeth Mansfield – I’ve a lot of her books and her backlist is being released in e-format (yay!); Eva Ibbotson, though I don’t think of her as “traditional” historical romance
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Contemporary romance
It’s not a genre that I read a lot, but if you include category romances in this subgenre, Kelly Hunter was my 2011 discovery. And I used to read Lynne Graham as my guilty pleasure, but either my tastes have changed or her writing has. Oh, Suzanne Brockmann – though does it count as an auto-buy if you only like certain series? Her new paranormal/suspense series is not working for me.
I used to love Jayne Ann Krentz and Linda Howard. Past tense being the operative word – I liked JAK’s straight contemps, but her recent releases with paranormal themes just leave me cold. And it’s been years since I’ve loved a new Howard. Who else? I follow Erin McCarthy’s stockcar racing series, but don’t read all her books, so I wouldn’t really count her as an autobuy author.
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M/M romance
Josh Lanyon. I’ve only started reading m/m romance in the past few years, but he is one of my all-time favourite authors regardless of genre. Other auto-buy authors? KA Mitchell. Harper Fox. Jordan Castillo Price.
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Paranormal romance
Ummm… it’s a lot more series-specific here. Nalini Singh‘s Psy-Changeling books. Meljean Brook‘s Iron Seas series – I abandoned her Guardians series a couple of books in (okay, one and a half books in) and have yet to go back. Though seeing I’ve really liked her steampunk romance book, I should give it another go. Ilona Andrews for their Edge series (I classify the Kate Daniels books as UF).
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Fantasy romance
Drawing a blank here. I think I lean more towards romantic fantasy, which I’ll save for the fantasy post (which I suspect will be longer). There is Elizabeth Vaughan, but I wouldn’t call her an auto-buy author.
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YA romance
I’ve loved both of Stephanie Perkins‘ books, so I’m guessing she probably counts as an auto-buy now. I enjoy Sarah Dessen’s books though they do come across as a bit same-y after a while, and the one Jennifer Echols book I’ve read, but I don’t think that qualifies them as auto-buys for me. This is probably the subgenre I read least.
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I think that’s it for romance – how do your auto-buys compare to mine?
Great post, Li!
Wow, we used to read some of the same writers… I’ve abandoned some of the same writers you have.
I think in some cases because my tastes changed and in others because the authors’ writing style changed.
I think from your auto-buy list of authors the only ones who apply to me are: Josh Lanyon, Meljean Brook and Ilona Andrews. I love Harper Fox and Nalini Singh, but I still look at blurbs for Fox’s books before I buy them and I only read Singh’s Psy/Changeling series, not the rest of her books. Lisa Kleypas would be in my list too if, as you say, she returns to writing historical romances.
Thanks Hils! I agree on the change in both your own preferences and the author’s writing style – for example, JAK and Garwood’s styles have changed, IMO, while Stephanie Laurens has remained the same (I think, anyway – haven’t read any of her books recently), but I’m over the h/h dynamics in her books.
And yes to Lisa Kleypas going back to historicals!
Great idea, Li! Thanks for sharing. Looks like we have three crossover auto-buys: Ilona Andrews, Stephanie Perkins, and Eva Ibbotson (sad she’s gone).
The only historical romance autobuy I can think of is Rose Lerner. Love her stuff. As for contemporary (which I’ve dipped into somewhat recently), I always buy the new Kristan Higgins now. I’ve recently discovered and enjoyed Jill Shalvis as well. And I like Julie James.
Oh, I keep on meaning to read Rose Lerner (have heard nothing but positive reviews) – must check her out. And I haven’t read anything by Kristan Higgins or Jill Shalvis – I’m familiar with their names though. Julie James – I’ve one of her books in my TBR pile, but again, have not actually read it yet!
Good contemporary recs – thank you
In YA (romance), my auto-read authors are Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Forman (starting with If I Stay and its sequel Where She Went), Melina Marchetta (who I will follow to any genre), and Cath Crowley (I like Graffiti Moon more than A Little Wanting Song a.k.a. Chasing Charlie Duskin).
In adult romance, my auto-reads are the FBI/US Attorney series by Julie James and Megan Hart’s contemporaries for the defunct SPICE line.
Yay for Stephanie Perkins! I need to read Melissa Marchetta – again, I’ve seen only good things about her books (as an aside, I am loving the responses – if they’re your autobuy authors, they must have something special!). I’ve not heard of Cath Crowley before – off to check out her backlist.
Another Julie James mention – I’m glad I have one of her books. And I’ve never read any of Megan Hart’s books before, but again, a familiar name.
Re: Kelly Hunter. I still think you should try a Marion Lennox one soon. I think you’d enjoy her, too – although she has less Asian settings and more pure Australian ones.
I think I did buy one of her books following your recs, but haven’t yet gotten around to it. I’m always up for Australian settings!
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