Day 4: Authors share their keeper books

Update: Congratulations to Julie Oest, winner of a box of newer releases. Please check Facebook messages for information on how to claim your prize.

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Welcome to Day 4 of HEA's five days of romance authors' favorite romances. If you didn't catch this week's earlier posts, you can check them out here, here and here. Notice the awesome giveaway on those? A box of newer releases. That's right, a box. Well, this post has the same giveaway. So if you leave a comment sharing a book that's on your keeper shelf, you could win. Now, here's what today's authors had to say (they're listed along with their most recent or upcoming release):

Elizabeth Lowell, Beautiful Sacrifice

"I've traded in groaning bookshelves for e-files. So I scrolled through the alphabet with eyes closed, and came up with Nalini Singh. Any and every book she wrote. Why is she a keeper? Emotional punch, great characters, and a story that just won't let you go."

Deborah O'Neill Cordes (aka Morgan O'Neill), After the Fall

"Second star to the right and straight on till morning ... Your instructions brought that to mind, and I wondered if I would find comparable magic on my bookshelf. Aha! M.M. Kaye's The Far Pavilions rested there. I've never forgotten the beautiful romance of Ash and Anjuli as they searched for their paradise, as remote and ethereal to them as Peter's Neverland."

Tracey Devlyn, A Lady's Revenge

"Sixth book on my keeper shelf? Pleasure for Pleasure by Eloisa James. I adored following Josie Essex's journey to self-discovery and loved the interplay between quick-witted Josie and bad-boy Earl of Mayne. The two were completely made for each other, though it took a little scandal to ferret out that fact. Loved reading about their happy ending."

Lena Diaz, Simon Says Die

"Son of the Morning by Linda Howard, is dangerously delicious, nearly impossible to put down. I've read it dozens of times. Seriously. Dozens. It's different from any other book I have ever read. EVER. It's a steamy romance, and yet, the hero and heroine don't physically meet until page 281! I know, crazy, right? … The ending is so emotionally satisfying, every time I read the book I end up in tears. Good tears, though. I can't recommend this book enough. It rocked my world when I first read it and is my favorite romance of all time."

Kate Douglas, Dream Unchained (Oct. 30)

"What a terrible thing to do to me! I went to the third shelf, sixth book from the right, and it was Eileen Wilks' Blood Magic. That was around 4:30 this afternoon, and I've been reading the damned book — again — ever since. I love Eileen's Lupi series — her world building is spectacular, her characters spot on, and the stories always so exciting they make my heart race! What's not to love? I keep them to reread them. Over and over again."

Gennita Low, Into Danger

"My third shelf is all Linda Howard books! Sixth book from the right is Diamond Bay. OMG. This is the ultimate spy romance for me. Hot secretive man lying naked in the bed? Kickass heroine who understands what's going on? Danger lurking, smart bad guys, freaking sizzling hot sex? Yes, yes, yes, this book's got it all! Linda Howard's Diamond Bay taught me so much about writing romantic suspense. I reread the book for the sheer awesomeness of the hero and heroine. Want to know what's on my second shelf? :D"

Tara Janzen, River of Eden e-book

"In the hot spot on the keeper shelf: Black Silk by Judy Cuevas, an exquisite perfection of a romance, deep and lush and intelligent. Stunningly well written. I've read this book more times than I can remember — thrilled and in awe every time."

Judith Arnold, Goodbye to All That

"Third shelf down, third book from the right on my keeper shelf is Barbara O'Neal's The Secret of Everything. (Even if I weren't a diehard Barbara O'Neal fan, I would have bought this book. How can you not buy a book called The Secret of Everything?) This novel is about a woman on hiatus from her job as a tour guide for hikers as she recovers from a tragic outing. Re-evaluating her life and the choices she's made, she crosses paths with a widowed father of three, and sparks fly. The book features an adorable dog, delicious food, troubled children, wise elders and all the warmth, passion and lyricism for which O'Neal is famous."

Nina Pierce, Shadows of Fire

"Dawn Keepers (Final Prophecy book two) by Jessica Andersen: This WHOLE series is amazing! I have loved it from book one and can't wait until the final book comes out in November. A prophecy of the Mayan 2012 end time has driven every book of this paranormal romance series. Each book brings a pair of Nightkeepers together in circumstances that both help save humans from forces looking to end the world and push them to discover their feelings for one another. An awesome combination of adventure, suspense and romance."

Abigail Sharpe, Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy (spring)

"Julia Quinn's An Offer From a Gentleman. I recently decided I needed to purge all my wonderful books (my to-be-read pile is NOT getting smaller), keeping only a handful and spreading the love with the others. The Bridgerton books made the cut. They are a fun and entertaining read with each main character distinctly individual. An Offer from a Gentleman has all the makings of the perfect romance: a hero to make you swoon, a heroine to root for, and the path to their own Happily Ever After."

Em Epe, Somer's Rising (McRaidy Clan book two)

"On my keeper shelf is The Bride by Julie Garwood. I became a devoted Garwood fan after I received The Bride from my Grammie. She gave me the book 20 years ago just a few months before she passed. My love of romance came from my grandmother whom I adored and still miss every day. I have added to my Julie Garwood collection over the years. The best part is, my close women family members and friends all have the same book. It's simply a treasure to share such a beautiful story and author between us and my Grammie."

Kathryn Shay, Ten Shades of Sexy

"Wendy Lindstrom's Shades of Honor -- I'm not usually an historical reader, but the buzz this book has gotten really intrigues me. I can't wait to get to it."

Laurin Wittig, Charming the Shrew

"A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux was my first -- time-travel romance, that is. It opened up the world of historical romance for me, but it also opened up the world of historicals with a time-travel twist, bringing my love of romances and my love of fantasies together in one wonderful story. It wasn't long after I read this book that I began to get serious about writing. Of course, I had to read all the rest of Ms. Deveraux's historicals first!"

Erin Knightley, More Than a Stranger

"Ha! Well, good thing my husband recently reorganized my keeper shelf (gasp!) so it is now conveniently in alphabetical order as opposed to, well, crammed every which way from Sunday. The book I pulled was by Christina Dodd, nestled in the middle of three other Christina Dodds :) The book is My Favorite Bride, and I loved it because there is just something irresistible about a strong governess and her bull-headed employer — especially when he's a military man. Christina has been one of my favorites for years, so imagine my googly-eyed delight when I discovered we have the same editor! As for the fangirl moment when I met her? Yeah, not pretty — I'll try to contain my enthusiasm to the keeper shelf from now on. ; )"

Jane Lynne Daniels, Careful What You Kiss For

"When Lightning Strikes by Kristin Hannah. This book hooked me on romance novels! What a great premise — heroine goes back in time and is kidnapped by her own character. I knew romance novel heroes, once created, were alive out there somewhere. Love this book!"

Kate Kelly, Out of Control

"Standing in front of my bookcase, I can find Marian Keyes' book Anybody Out There? with my eyes closed. It's an absolutely stunning book that made me laugh and also made me cry. Two years after reading the book, I still tear up when I think of it. When you start reading the book, you think you know what it's about, but you don't."

Tawna Fenske, Believe It or Not

"My romance keeper shelf contains oodles of fun romantic comedy by Jennifer Crusie, Lani Diane Rich, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Kristan Higgins. But the one in the sixth spot from the right is a hilarious new debut urban fantasy/romantic comedy by Linda Grimes. It's called In a Fix, and I laughed myself silly reading it all five times."

Cary Morgan Frates (aka Morgan O'Neill), After the Fall

"I don't usually reach for YA romance, but Jessica Shirvington's Embrace series (Embrace, Entice, Emblaze) is captivating. While staying within the bounds a YA format dictates, she nevertheless delivers sensuality, high intellect and searing drama. Her world-creating is on par with the best of them, and adult readers won't come away feeling cheated."

Laura Frantz, Love's Reckoning

"In this coveted spot on my keeper shelf is Liz Curtis Higgs' incredibly romantic, moving historical romance, Mine Is the Night. Chock-full of historical detail and passionate encounters that leap off the page, I often take it down and reread my favorite scenes, and am on a romantic high long after, wishing myself in 18th-century Scotland. Oo aye, as the Scots say!"

Don't forget to leave a comment sharing a book from your keeper shelf for a chance to win a box of newer releases.

You can enter through midnight ET Friday, Oct. 26. Winner will be notified by Monday, Oct. 29. (Contest rules are at the bottom of Monday's post.)