Best Books of 2012: Romance

I love lists, particularly, looking back to books published and read in a year and analyzing trends and unusual quirks. I will have my book analyses posts up in the next few weeks. To start us off, here are the best books of 2012 in romance compiled by well-know review publications.

Booklist

Bedding Lord Ned by Sally MacKenzie
Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate
Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe
Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle
The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillip
A Lady Never Lies by Juliana Gray
The Lord of Illusion by Kathryne Kennedy
The Night Is Mine by M.L. Buchman
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James

Publishers Weekly

The Bridegroom Wore Plaid by Grace Burrowes
A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly
Love on the Run by Zuri Day
Dog Days by Elsa Watson

Library Journal

Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight by Grace Burrowes
Firelight by Kristen Callihan
Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase
A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant
’Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries
The Great Escape, Susan Elizabeth Phillips
The Witness by Nora Roberts
Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas
Bride of the High Country by Kaki Warner

Kirkus Reviews

Seven Variations on a Love Story by Joan Wickersham
Office Girl by Joe Meno
The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Amazon

Bared to You by Sylvia Day
The Witness by Nora Roberts
Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian
Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
The Recruit by Monica McCartey
Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Lothaire by Kresley Cole
When the Duke Found Love by Isabella Bradford
Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis
How to Be a Proper Lady by Katharine Ashe

[Edited 1/3/13 to add the following...]

Just Janga

How to Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
The Witness by Nora Roberts
A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant
Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe
Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas
The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James
His Very Own Girl by Carrie Lofty
A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long
Barefoot in the Rain by Roxanne St. Claire
The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville
From Paris With Love by Eloisa James

Jane @ DearAuthor

Riveted by Meljean Brook
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
Easy by Tammara Webber
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Heat by R. Lee Smith
Hearts of Darkness by Kira Brady
Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas
Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe

Sunita @ DearAuthor

Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lean on Me by HelenKay Dimon
The Chocolate Thief by Laura Florand
One Starlight Night by Carolyn Jewel (novella in Midnight Scandals anthology)
Irregulars by Nicole Kimberling, Josh Lanyon, Astrida Amara, and Ginn Hale
Dark Soul series by Aleksandr Voinov
The Girl With the Cat Tattoo by Theresa Weir

Kati @ DearAuthor

Archangel’s Storm by Nalini Singh
On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley
Chaos Burning by Lauren Dane
Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas
Breath on Embers by Anne Calhoun

Janine @ DearAuthor

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch
About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant
The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan
Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville
The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville
Fair Game by Patricia Briggs

Of those books, I have read these:

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James
From Paris With Love by Eloisa James
A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase
Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly
Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas
Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas
A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
The Chocolate Thief by Laura Florand
Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville

[Edited 1/10/13 to add the following...]

King County Public Library

They don't have a specific romance-only Best Of list, but rather, a general fiction list. In that, the only mention of a romance novel is:
Along Came a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle.

[Edited 1/18/13 to add the following...]

All About Romance

Defiant by Pamela Clare
The Devil and the Diva by Renee Valois and David Housewright
Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh
Lothaire by Kresley Cole
His Very Own Girl by Carrie Lofty
Suddenly You by Sarah Mayberry
A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan (a novella)
The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
Breath on Embers by Anne Calhoun (a novella)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
At Your Pleasure by Meredith Duran
Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas
Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas
Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry
Room at the Inn by Ruthie Knox (a novella)
A Different Kind of Forever by Dee Ernst
Bared to You by Sylvia Day
Castaway Dreams by Darlene Marshall
The Sleeping Night by Barbara Samuel
Practically Wicked by Alissa Johnson
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz
Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen
Edge of Midnight by Leslie Tentler
Aftershock by Jill Sorenson
Last Renegade by Jo Goodman
About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville
The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville
The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Grace Grows by Shelle Sumners
Lord’s Fall by Thea Harrison
Oracle’s Moon by Thea Harrison
Mystery Man by Kristen Ashley
Games of the Heart by Kristen Ashley
Lover Reborn by JR Ward
Firelight by Kristen Callihan
A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long
A Lady Awakened by Cecelia Grant
A Gentleman Undone by Cecelia Grant
A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare