Tee hee!! I can relate to this confession!!!
Hanne confesses:
For some reason I just remembered I used to secretly read my mother’s romance (and my dad’s western) paperbacks back in the 80’s when I was way too young for them.
The only romances I really remember are Bertrice Small’s book series on Skye O’Malley.
Anyone else remember these or any other old classics in the genre? I suspect my taste has somewhat evolved since I adored these ‘bodice rippers’…
Yep… Well. Let me clarify. I actually didn’t read romance stories when I was young, but I DID do exactly as Hanne used to. I’d sneak all my mom’s horror & thriller books. One that stands out for me, in particular was Coma!!! GASP!!
Oh sure, she had a ton of Harlequin romances to pick and choose from, but the scary stuff was what I would hide with, and read.
And occasionally, I’d come across an *ahem* “love” scene… and my eyes would bug out. *blushes*
Okay, so what books did you used to sneak as a child? Any memories in particular?
I remember reading Flowers in the Attic as a pre-teen.
Yep I think quite a few of us might have read the odd age-inappropriate books when we were teens. I used to sneak my mums Mills & Boons (Harlequins) from the box of them she kept under her bed, but they were pretty tame – only kissing LOL. No sex. Although I’m pretty sure Sergeanne Golon’s Angelique series was a bit too saucy for my age group when I read them. Got them from the library, and no one told me no……. he he he.
I remember reading my mom’s Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’ books when I was in junior high. Funny part was one of my teachers was reading the same book but a chapter ahead of me. She caught up with me during lunch and said that it would be best if I didn’t read it in class. Guess she had hit a steamy part and didn’t think it was appropriate! She didn’t tell me not to read it – just not to let people know! LOL. Loved Valerie Sherwood, too. And the non-bodice rippers like Judith Krantz as well. Definitely not normally 14 yo reading material!
When I was 13, I went to a garage sale to find books (we didn’t have Kindles back in the day!)… and I bought a book called A Delta of Venus, by Anaiis Nin, because I liked the cover. The person LET ME buy this book for 25 cents. It was EROTICA. I read it and hid it in my nightstand for a couple of years. LOL. Then I read Flowers in the Attic, so that probably cemented my twisted preferences for books. My mom’s best friend also loaned me her romance novels too (mostly Danielle Steele). I was probably too young for all of that, but, hey, I turned out okay. Mostly.
Haha Michelle! I know! I’m still surprised that the librarian in her cardigan didn’t ask whether my mother knew I was reading Angelique. Perhaps she was reading it too. Still, it wasn’t as saucy as Anais Nin. I like your teacher Tilly. She must have been a kindred soul.
I read Captive Passions by Fern Michaels when I was about 12 – someone had loaned it to my mother and I picked it up and started reading and couldn’t put it down. I was shocked by ‘those” scenes, but I thought it was the best book I had ever read lol. Looking back, I kind of cringe now (a married woman has a secret identity and pretends she needs to pray for a few days, then sneaks off to become a female pirate to revenge her sister), but I was hooked on romance after that (when I could find it). My mother wasn’t a fan of romance, so when I got older I bought my own books.