Romance Reading Bingo Challenge 2014

Three of three. I was inspired to create my own romance-themed reading bingo challenge after finding and committing to the young adult challenge and fiction challenge that I talked about about in my previous round-up posts of last week. While the two challenges were interesting and exciting, I knew that there was a good chance that I would get bored easily, simply because there was another genre that is the love of my life and that takes up the bulk of my reading: romance. And there my third and most ambitious reading challenge was born.

Given that this was my own curated RBC challenge, I wanted something that I could own. The categories in the YA and fiction RBC lists are fairly random, but I sat down and came up with a list of challenges of certain 'types', as explained in my original post. You had the challenges defined by character (A book with a writer heroine, A book with a cop/PI hero), challenges by genre (A new-adult book, A non-Regency historical), by trope (A book with a 'marriage of convenience', A cabin/road romance), as well as by characteristics of the physical book (A book with more than 500 pages, A book with a green cover) to name just a few. It made for what I knew would be varied and entertaining reading, though as the year came to a close, it started becoming very frustrating when trying to fill in the last of the gaps.




I wanted a challenge; I certainly got a challenge. The Romance RBC 2014 list has 48 reads - the fiction and YA lists only had 25 (including a 'Free Square'), making the total number of individual challenges a staggering 98. Realistically, there was no way that I would finish all 98 challenges when I had a degree to finish, but it was fun trying. The Romance RBC list got the most action, as expected, simply because romance is what I want to read most of the time. There's a fantastic mix of library books, NetGalley titles, new acquisitions and books from my TBR pile on this list, showcasing an eclectic mix of reading material.

As before, the unfinished challenges will reappear in 2015's new lists. I was almost there: of the 48 challenges, I managed to complete 36 - a 75% success rate. Higher than what I managed for the YA challenge (72%) but that list did have a 100% review rate. Unfortunately, I only managed to review 32/48 (67%) (though this was 89% of the overall 36).

Finally, if you want to take a look at any of the titles I read for this challenge, here they are:
When the Rogue Returns by Sabrina Jeffries (A book with a 'secret baby')
Once in a Lifetime by Jill Shalvis (A contemporary romance)
Loving Lord Ash by Sally MacKenzie (A book with a 'class-differences' relationship)
Do or Die by Suzanne Brockmann (The first book in a series)
A Wicked Pursuit by Isabella Bradford (A book with a pet/animal)
Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James (A book based on a fairytale)
The Saint by Tiffany Reisz (A book without a happy ever after)
One Touch of Scandal by Liz Carlyle (A book with a number in the title)
My Beautiful Enemy by Sherry Thomas (A non-Regency historical)
The Last Good Knight by Tiffany Reisz (A book published in 2014)
Black Hills by Nora Roberts (A book with more than 500 pages)
Roman Holiday by Ruthie Knox (A funny book)
Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb (A book with a cop/PI heroine)
The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne by Jayne Fresina (A book with a heroine in disguise)
Heartbreaker by Linda Howard (A book with a one-word title)
Fast Track by Julie Garwood (A book with a 'best friend-little sister' relationship)
One Night Rodeo by Lorelei James (A book with a 'friends to lovers' relationship)
Captivated by Megan Hart & Tiffany Reisz (A book with a 'marriage of convenience')
The King by Tiffany Reisz (A book with a title referencing the peerage)
True Betrayals by Nora Roberts (A book by Nora Roberts)
Paradise by Judith McNaught (A classic romance)
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas (An AAR Top 100 Romance 2010)
What a Girl Wants by Lindsey Kelk (A book with 'girl/woman' in the title')
Ransom by Julie Garwood (An AAR Top 100 Romance 2007)
The Admiral's Bride by Suzanne Brockmann (An AAR Top 100 Romance 2000)
Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase (An Eurasian Historical)
Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase (A Cabin/Road Romance)
Dangerous Cravings by Evangeline Anderson (A book with a cop/PI hero)
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne (A book with a Fabio cover)
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (An urban fantasy)
Command Performance by Nora Roberts (A book published in the 1980s)
Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine (A book with magic)
Honor's Splendour by Julie Garwood (An AAR Top 100 Romance 1998)
The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood (An AAR Top 100 Romance 1994)
The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (A book published in the 1970s)
Here's Looking at You by Mhairi McFarlane (A chick lit book)