Agatha Hannigan (Annie 1982)
Alexandra Medford (The Witches Of Eastwick)
Alma Peregrine (Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children)
Anne Lister (Gentleman Jack)
Blanche (The Ladies)
Blanche Devereaux (The Golden Girls)
Bonnie Plunkett (Mom)
Carol Aird (Carol)
Catherine Cawood (Happy Valley)
Cathy Brown (Mrs. Brown’s Boys)
Christine Campbell (The New Adventures Of Old Christine)
Cruella DeVil (101 Dalmatians)
Doris Miller (Hello My Name Is Doris)
Elvira (Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark)
Frank N. Furter (Rocky Horror Picture Show)
Izabella Barta (Documentary Now!)
Jack Frost (The Santa Clause 3)
Jack Griffin (A.P. Bio)
Joyce Brewster (The Guilt Trip)
Julia Harris (Horrible Bosses)
Katherine Newbury (Late Night)
Lady Maria Byrne (The Making Of A Lady)
Lady Van Tassel (Sleepy Hollow)
Laszlo Kreizler (The Alienist)
Laura Willis (Hard Cell)
Leah Franklin-DuPont (Our Kind Of People)
Lisa Benner (All Rise)
Lizzie Borden (Lizzie Borden Took An Axe/The Lizzie Borden Chronicles)
Lorraine Warren (The Conjuring)
Lucy Ricardo (I Love Lucy)
Margaret White (Carrie 2013)
Martha May Whovier (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)
Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada)
Miss Gribben (Cracks)
Nadya (Muppets Most Wanted)
Nancy Stokes (Good Luck To You, Leo Grande)
Norma Bates (Bates Motel)
Olivia Baker (13 Reasons Why)
Olivia Benson (Law & Order: SVU)
Queen Anne (The Favourite)
Queen Narissa (Enchanted)
Reba Hart (Reba)
Rebel Bello (Rebel)
Rhoda Chesterfield (Jessie)
Rose O'Reilly (We're The Millers)
Rozalin Focker (Meet The Fockers)
Sapphire (Sapphire & Steel)
Selina Meyer (Veep)
Stella Gibson (The Fall)
Steve Kemp (Fresh)
Tess (Burlesque)
Victoria Chase (Hot In Cleveland)
Viola Fields (Monster-In-Law)
Willy Wonka (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)
Winifred Sanderson (Hocus Pocus)
Yentl Mendel (Yentl)
Zelda Spellman (Sabrina The Teenage Witch)
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Top Ten Reads of 2021
You might be surprised by how many of my top reads I've discussed--but the truth is that I really reawakened my love of romance just last year, and this year, in my opinion, really crystallized what I'm looking for (at least in historical romances). Additionally, my goal in 2022 is to try more of new romance subgenres (while still gobbling up historicals) and to try new authors.... because a lot of of the books on my favorites shelf were by the same people.
With that being said, in no particular order, below are my top ten reads of 2021!
The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne. I've waxed poetic about this book so often; but it really has so much that I want in books, poured out onto the page as if Kerrigan Byrne literally opened her veins. A bit darker than many historicals published in recent years, The Highwayman focuses on Farah, who lost her childhood love and has lived with the assumed identity of a widow in adulthood. This gives her the freedom to work with Scotland Yard, where she meets the criminal mastermind Dorian Blackwell. Then she gets kidnapped. Glove scene! Ether! Secret identities! Light bondage! TW: mentions of past childhood abuse, including sexual abuse.
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. A true classic, Dreaming of You sees intrepid but sheltered author Sara save the life of casino owner and self-made man Derek Craven. (She does shoot a man dead within the first like... ten pages. She faces zero consequences. It's great.). As payment, she insists on shadowing him so that she can research her next book. Derek is not happy with this, as he is severely turned on by her, and has a lot of issues surrounding his past. Angst ensues. It sounds simple, but it's so well written; Derek is a primordial romance hero, but Sara is also wonderful--brave but not stupid, feminine but not simpering. It was written back in the mid 90s, so there are some aspects that come off as dated; but generally speaking, it more than stands the test of time.
Waking Up with The Duke by Lorraine Heath. The Duke of Ainsley is tormented by a case of poor judgment three years ago, which ended up leaving his best friend/cousin, Walforth, disabled and impotent--with Walforth's wife, Jayne, miscarrying shortly after. So he's not in a position to turn Walforth down when he asks Ainsley to impregnate Jayne so that he can have an heir; never mind that Ainsley has very obviously been carrying a torch for her, though she resents him for his part in her husband's injury. It's a sex deal! One month at Ainsley's cottage, where they'll only have sex for procreative purposes. Right? Right??? Riiiiiiiiiii--
Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt. Silence runs an orphanage, where she loves all the kids but has developed a particular attachment to baby Mary. Which is why she is super upset when Mary goes missing, only to discover that she has been spirited away by her erstwhile father, river pirate Mickey O'Connor. Mickey, who knows Silence from A Previous Incident, supposedly wants to keep Mary safe from his enemies; so he proposes a deal for SIlence. She may continue to care for Mary... As long as she stays with him. In his lair. His lair which is sometimes his ship. Features what Learning the Tropes (a podcast I heartily recommend) refers to as "death row head".
What I Did for A Duke by Julie Anne Long. After being cuckolded (and therefore having his engagement ruined) by Ian Eversea, Alexander Moncrieffe sets out for revenge. Revenge in this case being bedding and ruining Ian's innocent little sister, Genevieve. The issue is that though she's certainly a virgin, Genevieve is no fool; and she's tackling her own troubles that leave her having more in common with Alex than he'd think. Super funny, super hot, and certainly fond of an age gap (Alex is pushing forty and Genevieve is twenty) this one is a must read.
A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught. Another super important book for the genre, A Kingdom of Dreams begins with Jennifer Merrick (the Merrick bitch, the Merrick slut, I love her) being kidnapped alongside her sister by Royce Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore. Jennifer is Scottish and Royce is English, at a time when their countries are not... cooperating... and Royce wishes to disrupt the marital alliance Jennifer's father has planned. And she's not going quietly. We have adventure, we have journeys, we have sexual awakenings~. And! Kidnapping! TW: dubcon--this one did come out in the 80s
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas. Sebastian St. Vincent did not try to kidnap Evangeline "Evie" Jenner. He did try (and fail) to kidnap her best friend and force her to marry him, however. But Evie, a wealthy heiress, is in such dire straits with her abusive family that she'll do anything to escape them. She offers Sebastian a marriage of convenience, knowing that he's desperate for money, which he quickly accepts. Her one requirement? They have sex once, to consummate, and never again. After an insanely good wedding night (or... wedding next morning--they were tired) Sebastian, a total dog, wants more. Hence, we get a sex deal; if he is celibate for three months, Evie will allow him another go. This one is another classic, and it's easy to see why--just like Derek is the definitive self made man who will fuck the heroine into oblivion, Sebastian is the definitive wastrel do nothing who needs to GET A JOB!!! while possessing an incredible penis. Recommend reading the two previous books in The Wallflowers series first, especially book 2.
Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt. Winter Makepeace is a vigilante. Disguised as The Ghost of St. Giles (an identity held by several people in Hoyt's Maiden Lane series) he fights crime by moonlight while running an orphanage by daylight. (The same orphanage featured in Scandalous Desires.). The issue that Winter needs to solicit donations to keep that orphanage running, and he's quite taciturn and incapable of functioning in high society. In comes Isabella, upper class widow (who likes sex!) and patroness of the orphanage. She offers to essentially My Fair Lady Winter, teaching him how to be a proper gentleman and charm women like her. This one has it all: fighting, an older heroine with a younger hero, a virgin hero, the most emotional blow job scene I've ever read. Don't miss it.
After Dark with The Duke by Julie Anne Long. Mariana, an opera singer, is dealing with scandal after two of her lovers attempt to kill each other in a duel. This leads her the Grand Palace on the Thames, a boarding house run by women who've dealt with their fair share of scandal. The boarding house owners plan a concert with Mariana to revive her reputation and bring in much-needed cash. The issue? An older, jaded, heroic duke who's staying with them in order to write his memoirs. James looks down on Mariana--but after getting called out for his snobbishness, he offers to teach her the Italian she's been singing phonetically. Unfortunately for him, he must also sit there CONSUMED WITH LUST for the REST OF THE EVENING. Another funny, sexy, age gape (he's 42, she's 25) romance from Long. Features excellent use of the Italian language.
Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt. Maximus is a duke; he is also a total douchebag, as seen in previous books; he is also also Georgian Batman. Yes. His parents were killed when he was young, and he now is a vigilante (the aforementioned Ghost of St. Giles--the other one). Artemis is the lady's companion to the woman everyone assumes Maximus will marry; but she also needs to rescue her brother. After discovering Maximus's secret identity, she threatens to expose him unless he uses his influence to help her free her brother, sending them into a game of cat and mouse. Although Artemis is not a vigilante herself, if you're a fan of BatCat I do think you'll enjoy this--she's sly and more worldly than he thinks, and more than able to engage Maximus. On every level. Has some of my favorite insane dirty talk I've ever read; a must if you enjoy the buttoned up, starchy hero who is secretly... not. Maximus is a freak.
Honorable Mentions:
Death by Laura Thalassa. The final entry in Thalassa's bonkers Four Horsemen series, this one asks the question, who is bold enough to deflower the living embodiment of death? A girl who cannot die is the answer. Features her taking the ultimate L to save the world, and giving Death his first blowjob. Is it an L though? Is it?
The Viscount and The Vixen by Lorraine Heath. "This hot gold digger wants to marry my old, crazy dad! He's already signed a contract promising her a husband! A-ha, I can save him by marrying her myself! CHECK AND MATE."
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. The legendary Reylo fanfic that got published. Features the classic "you're so big"/"you can take it" trope which... should be a part of ANY self-respecting Reylo fic.
The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Shupe. Actually fucking INSANE. She pretends to be a courtesan in order to get pregnant by her husband who left her ten years ago and has spent the past decade carousing. Problematic? Sure! Fabulously whackadoodle? Also sure! Fuck the haters on this one.
Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas. Former wastrel oldest brother of the family just can't put his finger on why he's so obsessed with arguing with his sisters' governess. Features him teaching her the true meaning of the word "pussy", so you know it's glorious.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Not a romance! Made me cry! Nobody does fake celebrities like TJR, and this story of an 80s-era rager thrown by the children of a famous singer, which is actually about generational trauma... is a lot.
The Bride by Julie Garwood. Classic Englishwoman marries Scotsman for the sake of politics books. "What do we call her?" "You call her mine." BITCH.
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas. Spirited American heiress meets uptight English lord, he gets horny, she thinks it's because of her special perfume, it's because he's been obsessed with her since they met. TW: dubcon (they have sex when she's blackout drunk and really can't properly consent; this is edited out of more recent editions of the book).
Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt. He's a crazy duke. She's his housekeeper. He's been living in his own walls spying on her for THREE MONTHS. One of the most bonkers things I've ever read, which is saying something considering literally everything else Hoyt has written. She's a goddess.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert. Both leads are on the autism spectrum! The heroine is a plus size black woman! A sparkly purple dildo is LIBERALLY used!
Seducing A Stranger by Kerrigan Byrne. He's a constable, she's the random girl he encounters in the night and liberates of her virginity prior to her marriage to a douchebag. Said douchebag turns up dead on her wedding day, so he should be arresting her, right? Not if she's pregnant with his baby!
When A Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare. She's been writing to an imaginary Scotsman for years to head off offers of marriage. Except, oops, he's real and he wants to take her up on the idea.
All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne. A lawman chases after a brothel owner, without realizing that the woman he's falling in love with is that very brothel owner.
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt. A scarred earl hires a widow as his secretary; she repays him by pretending to be a sex worker during one of his trips to the local brothel.
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