I even made my parents read it (PS – they loved it!). That twist!!!! This was still one of the first contemporary romances I’d ever read so I have no idea what to expect and it totally caught me off guard and took over my life!! This was the first book I officially pimped out to anyone who I could get to read it.

Slammed series by Colleen Hoover ( My Review) - Oh gosh, I can still so vividly remember the heart-racing intensity I felt the first time I read this book.

So many of my top favorite books today originated as fanfiction of this book and I’m so grateful that this story inspired so many authors to write. Not only did I adore this book on it’s own merit but I also love it for the incredible creativity it inspired. I think the entire romance world owes this book so much.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - The vampire who fell in love with the innocent human… This was the first 100% romance series I ever read and I fell in complete and total love with Edward.

It’s one of those series I could re-read endlessly and it would still make my heart race each time. I want more!’ … For me, and I think for many other readers of romance, this book was a reading life changer. I read it back when it first came out as an indie and even though I’d read a few before this and loved them, this was the series that made me go ‘OMG.

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James - I owe this book for getting me seriously into contemporary romance.

And, even though there are many favorite books I love with all my heart and soul, I honestly can’t imagine any other story ever having this strong an impact on me which it’s why I’ve put it on a pedestal as my one and only 10-stars series. It’s the most powerful and epic love story I’ve ever read.

The Bronze Horseman series by Paullina Simons ( My Review) - This is (and I think always will be) the story that has had the strongest and deepest impact on me.

I took this quite literally to mean books that have had a chance to stay with me for a while so even though I have many newer books that have had a strong impact on me, I tried to focus on the ones I’ve loved for longer here… And, as such, there are 2 books/series listed on it that I’ve never even mentioned before on this blog!Īlso, I’ve only listed books I’d read prior to 2013 or preferably even way before then. I guess I just felt like there are so many books I love that I’d feel weird, or even guilty, only naming a few of them because lets face it… I know that all of us have a ton of books we love and adore.īut this wasn’t just asking books I loved or even my “favorite books”, it was literally books that somehow just stuck with me over time so please remember, this is different than a normal favorites list.

I was on tagged Facebook to list my Top 10 Books That Have Stayed With Me In Some Way… and I wasn’t planning to do it at first because I didn’t think I could manage to only list 10.

Behind Iron Lace by Mercy Celeste