100 Best Books

In the course of our research, I also discovered something surprising: Our phones and texts and apps might just be bringing us full circle, back to an old-fashioned version of courting that is closer to what my own parents experienced than you might guess. Almost a quarter of online daters find a spouse or long-term partner that way.

It provides you with a seemingly endless supply of people who are single and looking to date. Before online dating, this would have been a fruitless quest, but now, at any time of the day, no matter where you are, you are just a few screens away from sending a message to your very specific dream man. There are downsides with online dating, of course. Throughout all our interviews—and in research on the subject—this is a consistent finding: Even a guy at the highest end of attractiveness barely receives the number of messages almost all women get.

On the Internet, there are no lonely corners. Medium height, thinning brown hair, nicely dressed and personable, but not immediately magnetic or charming. At our focus group on online dating in Manhattan, Derek got on OkCupid and let us watch as he went through his options. The first woman he clicked on was very beautiful, with a witty profile page, a good job and lots of shared interests, including a love of sports.

Imagine the Derek of 20 years ago, finding out that this beautiful, charming woman was a real possibility for a date. If she were at a bar and smiled at him, Derek of would have melted. But Derek of simply clicked an X on a web-browser tab and deleted her without thinking twice. Watching him comb through those profiles, it became clear that online, every bozo could now be a stud. But dealing with this new digital romantic world can be a lot of work. Even the technological advances of the past few years are pretty absurd.

In the history of our species, no group has ever had as many romantic options as we have now. In theory, more options are better, right? Psychology professor Barry Schwartz, famous for his book The Paradox of Choice , divided us into two types of people: We have all become maximizers. When I think back to that sad peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich I had in Seattle, this idea resonates with me.

If you only knew how good the candles in my house smell. When you watched their actual browsing habits—who they looked at and contacted—they went way outside of what they said they wanted.

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When I was writing stand-up about online dating, I filled out the forms for dummy accounts on several dating sites just to get a sense of the questions and what the process was like. The person I described was a little younger than me, small, with dark hair. My girlfriend now, whom I met through friends, is two years older, about my height—O.

A big part of online dating is spent on this process, though—setting your filters, sorting through profiles and going through a mandatory checklist of what you think you are looking for. People take these parameters very seriously. But does all the effort put into sorting profiles help?

Despite the nuanced information that people put up on their profiles, the factor that they rely on most when preselecting a date is looks. Now, of course, we have mobile dating apps like Tinder. As soon as you sign in, Tinder uses your GPS location to find nearby users and starts showing you pictures.

Maybe it sounds shallow. Like so many of the authors whose names came up in this poll, it was hard to pick just one Beverly Jenkins book, but both our readers and our panelists agree, this story of love on the Underground Railroad is a standout favorite. Coming in a close second was another historical romance, Topaz, about a feisty newspaperwoman who ends up married, only slightly against her will, to a handsome deputy marshal. One of the most popular picks in our poll, Diana Gabaldon's swashbuckling, century-spanning tale of a World War II nurse who tumbles backward in time to the Scottish Highlands in — and falls in love with a roguish young soldier — is now a hit television series.

Houston Leigh survived the Civil War, though badly scarred both inside and out. But will he survive a dangerous journey along the wild trails of Texas with Miss Amelia Carson, his handsome brother's mail-order bride? Left in debt when her philandering artist husband is murdered by his mistress's own jealous husband, Susanna Dallet must rely on her skills as a painter of miniatures to survive her new position at the court of the devious Cardinal Wolsey. Luckily, there's a wayward angel and a handsome but easily ruffled court secretary looking out for her. As with so many entries in this list, you really should read the whole series.

But if we had to pick just one, it'd be this one. Brilliant and yes, troubled, Ian MacKenzie has been banished to an asylum by his cruel, powerful father. Freed upon his father's death, Ian makes an impulsive marriage proposal to Beth Ackerly, a wealthy widow who decidedly wants no more drama in her life. Mary Balogh is a prolific historical romance author, and readers gave the most votes to her books about the spectacular, seductive Bedwyn brothers and sisters.

But we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention her excellent Survivor's Club series, about seven survivors of the Napoleonic wars who find themselves convalescing together at a stately home in England. Fossil-hunting rector's daughter Harriet Pomeroy summons the notorious Viscount St. Justin to sleepy Upper Biddleton to hunt the thieves who've been hiding loot in the caves where she works.

Love, intrigue and a lot of old bones can't be far behind. Amanda Quick is a pseudonym for the prolific contemporary romance author Jayne Ann Krentz who also writes futuristic romance under the name Jayne Castle. Lisa Kleypas writes solid contemporary romances too, but this series about a quartet of 19th-century young women who band together to conquer the London marriage market was a favorite with our voters and our panelists.

You can start pretty much anywhere in this beloved series about an alphabetically named family Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne The Bridgertons are some of the most famous siblings in romance — and the books are also a lovely example of familial love surrounding the individual love stories. There's nothing actually sinister in this interconnected series of stories about very smart women a chess prodigy, a newspaper publisher, a scientist and an astronomer, among others and the left-handed men they fall for. Courtney Milan is a master of the intelligent relationship discussion — which, trust us, is incredibly romantic.

Four notorious aristocrats — Bourne, Cross, Temple and the mysterious Chase — have built their lives around London's most notorious gambling hell, The Fallen Angel. But love has a way of offering absolution without making you give up the baccarat table. The dissolute Duke of Jervaulx is brilliant at both seduction and writing scientific papers — which he does with a blind Quaker mathematician.

But when he's left speechless and straitjacketed by a stroke, it's up to the mathematician's daughter, Maddy Timms, to see that there's still a man inside the restraints — and to reconcile her Quaker faith with her growing love. The seaside town of Spindle Cove is often known as "Spinster Cove" because of its lively population of unmarried women.

But even in this haven for disaffected or delicate ladies, love finds a way in. Regency England is one of the most popular settings for historical romance, but Elizabeth Hoyt steps back a century for the Maiden Lane books, set in a bustling, grimy s London that teems with gin sellers and foundlings, noblemen and small, irritating dogs. And in the background is the mysterious Ghost of St. Giles, a sword-wielding vigilante who may be a guardian of the city's poor — or something more sinister.

The Everseas and the Redmonds rule the lovely Sussex, England, town of Pennyroyal Green — and the two powerful families can't stand each other. Naturally, that leads to secrets, grudges and all kinds of attraction, for the Everseas and the Redmonds, and anyone else who comes to town. When the king orders Scottish laird Alec Kincaid to take an English bride, he sets his sights on Jamie, the youngest daughter of Baron Jamison. But Jamie has sworn she'll never love such an arrogant, brooding Highland barbarian — and that's even before murderous rumors begin to circulate about Alec.

Lauren Willig takes the plot of The Scarlet Pimpernel and runs wild with it in this swoon-worthy series about florally named spies battling it out against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. Bracketing the historical romance is modern-day historian Eloise Kelly, who unmasks the titular Pink Carnation and finds a love of her own while researching her dissertation.

We couldn't quite decide where to file this time-traveling romance, but eventually we went with the setting for the start of Nicholas Stafford's story. He's a 16th-century knight reincarnated in the 20th to clear his unjustly tarnished name, with the help — and soon the love — of Dougless Montgomery, an American abandoned in England by her faithless fiance. Our expert panelist Sherry Thomas landed on the list with this emotionally intense story of a young Victorian nobleman who travels the world to find his estranged wife — a rare-for-her-time surgeon who has made a new life for herself in a far corner of India.

Eloisa James is a professor of Shakespeare when she's not writing romance, and it shows in these sparkling stories, laced not just with Shakespeare, but also with Marlowe and Christopher Smart. It's almost as fun to play spot-the-literary-reference as it is to follow the adventures of James' exquisite duchesses. One of Judith McNaught's most beloved books, Something Wonderful is the story of innocent country girl Alexandra, who saves cynical nobleman Jordan from a highway robbery — and winds up married to him after a misunderstanding. But Jordan doesn't quite know what to do with his young and very unexpected bride.

At over pages, The Windflower may be a little dense for some readers, but this tale of a gently reared young American miss swept away by a dashing English pirate captain is a classic of old-school romance — and it's finally been reissued after years out of print. The lure of the Napoleonic Wars proves strong again in Joanna Bourne's Spymasters books, featuring a cast of dashing French and British spies finding love amid the danger. Bourne's ability to write convincingly French dialogue — in English — makes this series a standout.

Emmaline Martin, betrayed by her caddish fiance, meets soon-to-be-duke Julian Sinclair in India just before the sepoy uprising of They fall hard for each other, but a deception keeps them apart until a cold London spring, years later. Louise Vandermeer is 18, beautiful, rich, bored and very aware that her life is limited by those factors.

30 Romantic Date Night Ideas for Married Couples

To escape, she agrees to marry aristocratic rake Charles d'Harcourt sight unseen, unaware that a scar and a limp mar his looks. For a lark, Charles decides to travel on his fiancee's ocean liner and seduce her secretly in her darkened stateroom — but the prank backfires when he falls madly in love with his own wife to be. Rachel Wade is finally free after years in prison for the death of her husband, a crime she did not commit.

But as a thoroughly fallen woman, the only work she can find is as housekeeper to the cynical, jaded Viscount D'Aubrey. Gillian, the Countess of Greendale, has survived a brutal first marriage. Christian, Duke of Mercia, has survived capture and torture by the French. When she takes over the management of his household upon his return to England, these two terribly damaged people begin to build a new life together.

This, too, is part of a series that's worth checking out in any order you want to read them. Set in colorful Tang Dynasty China, these richly detailed romantic mysteries center on the celebrated courtesans of the Lotus Palace, who seem to attract as much trouble as admiration. Anne Wilder leads a double life: But Jack doesn't know that the seductive thief who charmed him, and the honorable widow he loves, are one and the same.

Portrayals of Native Americans in romance can be problematic, but our judges loved this story of a spoiled Boston heiress who heads west with her father to inspect some gold mines, and the Harvard-educated Absarokee leader who challenges their claims. Widowed Elly Dinsmore has been treated cruelly in her small Georgia town. She's got two young boys and a third on the way, and she needs a man to help out. So she places a classified ad for a husband — and gets Will Parker, a lonely drifter condemned to live on the fringes of society after serving time for murder. Morning Glory takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster of love, betrayal, war and trials, but Will and Elly finally get their happy ever after.

In the aptly named town of Marrying Stone, Ark. Find a husband by Christmas, or they'll find one for her. The last thing she expects is to fall for farmhand Jess Best, a good man who's been written off by the town because he doesn't think quite as fast as they do. Ruth Berger, daughter of a Jewish professor, was meant to escape Vienna, but her plans went awry. As the Nazis march on the city, her father's colleague Quinton Somerville decides to rescue her with a quick marriage of convenience — he'll sweep her away to England, and they'll get a quick annulment.

But neither Quin nor Ruth counted on falling in love. Buttoned-up widow Martha Russell is desperate. If she doesn't produce evidence of an heir soon, her late husband's cruel family will seize the estate she loves. There's only one solution, obviously: She offers to pay her rakish neighbor Theophilus Mirkwood for a month of assignations. And Mirkwood is determined that Martha will get her money's worth.

Lady Jane Cummings is finally out of mourning for her mother, but her father is showing signs of dementia, and her brother has only just returned from the Continent, where he escaped the responsibilities Jane has had to shoulder. Jane needs a distraction, and it arrives in the form of reclusive neighbor Byrne Worth — who has mysterious ties to a highwayman who's been plaguing the area. Notorious wastrel Reggie Davenport is only good for gambling and drinking — until a relative offers him a second chance in the form of a manor house, complete with secretive estate manager Alys Weston.

Romance ensues, but Alys' past and Reggie's alcoholism prove to be formidable obstacles to overcome. Rector's daughter Drusilla Delaney becomes a companion to the spoiled, arrogant Lavinia Framling. Some are paid, some are free. Neither will break the bank. But if you feel the need to get out of the house and you should when you can Add some candlelight and fancy dishware to the mix, and this is easily one of the top date ideas at home. In-home massages have been growing in popularity, largely in part to their convenience, and can even be scheduled online these days.

An in-home couples massage is a great way to make at-home dates feel like a real escape. The things you once stopped to look at Then have your date night photos printed and start an album. Companies such as The Wine Lovers , actually specialize in private wine tasting parties. This one could be on both the cheap date ideas and dates ideas at home list… in fact, a few of my ideas could be considered crossover events.


  • Pecks Bad Boy with the Circus.
  • What’s preventing you from finding love?!
  • The Star Brand.
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  • 1. Dinner at a restaurant that requires reservations weeks, or more, in advance..

Still, sometimes there is nothing better than eating your favorite foods in your comfiest lounge pants. Why not give Netflix or Redbox the night off and look to your home videos collection for inspiration? While this is one of the simplest date ideas at home to pull off, it can also be crazy romantic if you play your cards right. Surprise your spouse with a screening of your wedding video. Grab another DVD out of its case and replace it with yours. And if you want brownie points for super duper creativity, have a piece of replica wedding cake ready to eat towards the end of the video.

What you really want is to reminisce and enjoy watching the start of your journey together unfold… again. Oh, and if by some chance your wedding was captured on VHS instead of a digital format, there are services out there that will transfer them for a fee. There are also kits available if you want to take a shot at doing it yourself from your computer. One of our naughtier date ideas at home, there are tons of products available to help with a little R-rated romance:. Start your role play date by giving your spouse an official-looking envelope. Sara, a newspaper reporter for the Washington Post.

Wears bright red lipstick and glasses. Get into character and get ready for a night where anything goes. Nothing is off limits with the imagination. Dancing makes people happy, especially if you're with the right person. If absence makes the heart grow fonder, some married couples may not be missing each other quite enough. Unless your spouse travels a lot for business, or works entirely different hours than you, chances are you at least see each other every day for a couple of hours. In an age of Skype, Messenger, WhatsApp… couples can stay in touch even with an ocean between them.

They can see each other as if they were sitting in the same room. If you really want to make it interesting, you can try and avoid each other the entire day leading up to the chat date. Pretend as if you really are on a business trip. My husband used to tease that all people are on their best behavior in the beginning of a relationship. Dates are like reset buttons in a marriage, and can often make all right in the world again with the simplest of gestures. Nicole Krause has been writing both personally and professionally for over 20 years.

She holds a dual B. As a happily married and extremely busy mother of four… her articles primarily focus on parenting, marriage, family, finance, organization and product reviews. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But what I can tell you is this… it takes work.

Dating - Wikipedia

Think of your marriage as dating I can help you with this. Romantic date ideas Cheap date ideas Date ideas at home. Dinner at a restaurant that requires reservations weeks, or more, in advance. Schedule a private tasting at a local vineyard. Try out a self-defense or martial arts class. Check out an amateur comedy club. Take your spouse on a tour of your alma mater.


  • Dreaming Your Way to Creative Freedom : A Two-Mirror Liberation Process;
  • Jahrbuch der Göttinger Akademie der Wissenschaften / 2008 (German Edition).
  • 1924. Il delitto Matteotti (Italian Edition).
  • Accessibility links.
  • 30 Romantic Date Night Ideas for Married Couples!
  • LApprenti dAraluen 3 - La Promesse du Rôdeur (French Edition);
  • The Texas Indians (Centennial Series of the Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University);

Volunteer at a soup kitchen or nursing home. Order take out from your favorite restaurant. Skype with each other from different rooms in the house. But before we get started… I implore you to get into the habit of planning. Speaking of which… when planning your dates, remember that romance is subjective. Being romantic often requires three things: Listening to your spouse. A horse drawn carriage ride. Go to a drive-in movie. Alone in a car. Sensor me now before I say something naughty. Go to the opera. Trust me on this. Their voices are angelic.

Take a walk through a botanical garden. Or pull their ear. Marriage cannot be all sunshine and roses… so why should a date be? Instead of a quiet dinner, why not try out a local self defence or martial arts class? We have kids for goodness sake. Learn Close Combat Training. Me… I prefer to get out whenever I can! Catch a live sporting event. This date can work for you!

Sporting events are loud and exciting. There is often alcohol involved. And who knows, you may even become a fanatic Try white water rafting or kayaking. You can do anything. Go sculpt or paint something. The would-be vase or whatever Moore is making is forgotten.

Cue one of the best romantic date ideas. But just imagine the possibilities that come from creating beautiful art together. Today, we have museums dedicated to: Have a picnic on the beach. Restaurants are not your only option for fine dining. No tipping is required.