Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day from the Sweet Romance Reads Authors!

Ah, the movies. Romantic comedies, great drama, teen flicks and the classics! What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than for our authors to share their favourite movie couples - and why they've touched our hearts. So without further ado, in honour of this most romantic day of the year, Sweet Romance Reads presents... our favourite romantic movie couples.



Donna Fasano, author of The Single Daddy Club: Derrick Duke (James Garner) and Allie (Gina Rowlands) in The Notebook. They're my favorite couple because I love Duke's dedication to Allie. He's a wonderful example of "in sickness and in health."



Magdalena Scott, author of Midnight in Legend, TN. My movie is from 1953 - ROMAN HOLIDAY with Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann, who is visiting Rome on a European tour, and Gregory Peck as an expat American reporter working in Rome. She is young and innocent, he's been around the block. I love how their relationship changes both of them. But each time I watch it, I mentally rewrite the ending to make it a "happily ever after." Maybe that's one of the reasons I write Romance!

Shaleen Kapil, whose upcoming debut is a contemporary update of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in "An Affair to Remember." The last scene when he starts to put everything together and looks for the painting is always heart-wrenching. Then he finds the painting, and you can see the transformation in his face.

Joanne Hill, author of Falling for Jack. It's a sentimental movie from my teens that I still love - Molly Ringwald and Michael Schoeffling as geeky Samantha and cool guy Jake in Sixteen Candles. The last scene where she's standing in the church doorway after her sister's wedding, and he waves at her, and she looks around to see who he's waving at, and says "Me?" and he says, "Yeah, you." Just gorgeous.

Margaret Daley, author of Love Gone To The Dogs Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco in Medicine Man about two stubborn, brillant doctors that clash and fall in love in the middle of the Amazon jungle. The scene I loved was when they were walking above the trees by a system of ropes looking for a cure for cancer. Action packed combined with a romance—my kind of story.


Patricia Forsythe (aka Patricia Knoll), author of Here To Stay I'm a sucker for musicals. My favorite movie couple is Professor Harold Hill and Marian Paroo from 'The Music Man'. I love the way her love changed him from a man who worked his con on unsuspecting citizens and got the last train out of town to a man who 'got his foot caught in the door'. I also love the way he changed her idea of who the perfect man for her could be. And I know all the lyrics to all the songs!



Melinda Curtis, author of Summer Kisses Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice. I go against the grain and prefer the movie over the PBS special, because it hits all the emotional high points succinctly.



Helen Scott Taylor, author of The Army Doctor's Valentine's Baby My favorite movie couple are Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Francis (Jennifer Grey) from Dirty Dancing. I love that the ordinary girl gets the cool guy.


Sierra Donovan, author of Meg's Confession Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca. SPOILER ALERT: No, it's not a traditional HEA, but they get back the love they lost and become better people who put their personal hurts aside for the greater good. Chokes me up every time. And yes, they WILL always have Paris.

Milou Koenings, author of Reclaiming Home Rose Sayer and Charlie Allnut, aka Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in the African Queen. Their differences lead to conflicts, but by working together they each bring out the best in each other and become more likeable people. Despite their arguments, they have such respect for each other and are aware of the other's kindness and strengths. And even though they face tremendous challenges just saving their own lives and could easily have focused on that alone, they come together over a common goal that is bigger than themselves.



Aileen Fish, author of Cowboy Cupid Emma and Murphy from Murphy’s Romance. SPOILER: At the end, after Emma declares she’s in love for the first time, Murphy, who is “somewhat” older, says, “And I’m in love for the last time.” That line gets me – such a declaration of eternal love.

5 comments:

  1. Some great movies mentioned here. It makes me want to snuggle up on the sofa with my husband, a hot cup of coffee and a stack of romantic movie DVDs and have a movie binge.

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  2. Aileen, you are so right. That line from "Murphy's Romance" turns me into a puddle!

    Interesting that Bogie made the list twice! And in both stories, he puts the greater good over his own personal needs.

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  3. Interesting at the diversity of movies here - quite a few of them I haven't seen. Will have to rent some DVDs I think!!

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  4. And not a bad movie in the bunch! Great choices!

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  5. I love this list! There are so many movies here I haven't seen, I think it's time for a romantic movie weekend. Magdalena - I almost chose Roman Holiday, too!

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