It’s wrong to have favorites sometimes, isn’t it?
Favorite strappy sandals, fine.
Favorite child, not so good.
For an author to choose a favorite book of her own is a little like choosing favorite children. You love them all, more or less equally. But I’d be lying if I said my upcoming romance, Sweeter Than Revenge, didn’t have a special place in my heart.
It’s the story of spoiled Maria Johnson, who meets the cold, cruel world for the first time in her pampered life, and her first (and only) love, David Hunt, who returns to town to teach her a little lesson a few years after she broke his heart by marrying the rich guy.
I tried to make the story as intense and emotional as possible, and I had a lot of fun doing it. Check out the excerpt if you have time.
Revenge stories are another favorite of mine. What about you? Do you have a favorite romance novel (or movie) where revenge figures prominently in the storyline? Or a favorite (G-rated!) revenge story from your own life? Do share. I have extra copies of Lisa Kleypas’ Mine Till Midnight and Eve Silver’s Demon’s Kiss to give away to two lucky people at the end of the day.
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First off, congrats on your upcoming release! Sounds like an great book and I really loved the excerpt. Definitely on my wish list.
When it comes to revenge, I think my favorite revenge movies are, Frankenstein, The Godfather, Hamlet and She-Devil. In books, I can think of a few good ones with revenge as a motive. Some are the same as the movies they became later. Classics like Frankenstein and Hamlet. But there is also Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Carrie by Stephen King, or The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A slightly new revenge book I’ve read is Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews. The heroine Kate sets out to revenge the death of her last family member.
A revenge story of my own? Hmmm. Well as a kid I once hated this one boy who constantly picked on me and even glued some things in my desk together. So one day I brought a can of whip cream to class and sprayed the whole inside of his desk with it. It turns out his homework was in all that mess. I felt bad later and he was certainly mad but things worked out well in the end because he stopped picking on me.
by April
on October 16th, 2007 at 6:39 am
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My favorite : Sandra Brown’s “Breath of Scandal “where Jade returns to her hometown for revenge against the guys (her classmates) who raped her in high school.
Revenge movie: Fatal Attraction Glenn Close’s character goes after Michael Douglas’s character with a twisted vengenance.
by Laurie
on October 16th, 2007 at 8:20 am
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Another revenge movie: Ghost
by Laurie
on October 16th, 2007 at 8:21 am
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The Sandra Brown, novel, Envy is a masterpiece of writing with revenge featured prominently within it. For the movie, Time to Kill would be a memorable one which resounded with me.
by ellie
on October 16th, 2007 at 9:44 am
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Sweeter Than Revenge sounds like an amazing story, Ann! Congratulations on the upcoming release!
My favorite classic tale of revenge is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, père. The movie version with Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce is also a favorite.
Ain’t She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a favorite contemporary romance in which the revenge plot comes into play. In the beginning almost the entire town wants revenge on the heroine, Sugar Beth. She was the rich, self centered, and vindictive girl that every high school has one of. She’s come back to town years later after three failed marriages and a lot of learning the hard way. I enjoyed how Susan Elizabeth Phillips took the girl you love to hate and showed her transformation into a worthy heroine.
The Devil’s Necklace by Kat Martin is a captivating historical romance with a revenge plot.
Movies:
Again, The Count of Monte Cristo with James Caviezel and Guy Pearce is my favorite movie with a revenge plot. It’s a true classic brought to life by a brilliant cast.
Man on Fire with Denzel Washington is a great action movie with a compelling story of revenge.
Nine to Five with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton is an old comedic revenge favorite.
Eye for an Eye with Sally Field was a very heartwrenching, dramatic revenge movie.
There are so many good ones, but my brain is starting to cramp lol. That’s all I can think of for now. Thanks for being here Ann!
by Zara
on October 16th, 2007 at 9:50 am
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My favorites are Great Expectations by Charles Dickens which is a classic and a wonderful novel with definite revenge throughout. The movie would have to be Unforgiven.
by ruth
on October 16th, 2007 at 10:03 am
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Someone to Watch Over Me by Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite romances and has a revenge element.
by Little Lamb Lost
on October 16th, 2007 at 10:51 am
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If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon held me spellbound since it is a dramatic story of revenge and grips you from start to finish. The Mask of Zorro with Anthony Hopkins is a great movie with revenge throughout which is enthralling.
by pearl
on October 16th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
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Great comments, everyone! I had forgotten about some of these tales.
CARRIE, of course.
THE GODFATHER–Michael got revenge, but lost his soul. One of my favorites.
IF TOMORROW COMES–yeah, that was a great book.
Oh, and ENVY–I think that was one of my first Sandra Brown’s, and I loved it.
Keep the comments coming!
Ann
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Congratulations on your new book. Elizabeth Hoyt’s latest The Serpent Prince has a hero who is persuing revenge and risking his life to do it.
by Maureen
on October 16th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
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“The Duke” by Gaelen Foley and “Sweet Revenge” by Nora Roberts are two books that come to my mind. In “Sweet Revenge,” the female lead sets out to get revenge on her father by stealing a necklace. Those “Revenge of The Nerds” movies dealt with revenge in a comical way.
by Jane
on October 16th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
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The first thing to come to mind was Braveheart - Wallace seeks revenge for his wife’s death, then he gets evenwith all the Lords who betrayed him and the best was when the young french queen tells the dying King about being pregnant with Wallace’s child. A good variety of different kinds of revenge.
by catslady
on October 16th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
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A movie that comes to mind is The Patriot with Mel Gibson. He plans to remain neutral in the war but when his son is killed by soldiers, neutrality is not an option. He wants to seek revenge for what has been done to his family.
by Crystal B.
on October 16th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
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My favorite revenge movie is Fatal Attraction.
by Linda F
on October 16th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
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Congratulations on your new book. The excerpt is great!
I love revenge stories, the more emotional the better. Some of my favorites are Christmas Beau by Mary Balogh, Lions and Lace by Megan McKiney, Thief of Dreams by Mary Balogh, Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas, Scandal by Amanda Quick, The Devil’s Bargain by Edith Layton, Prisoner of my Desire by Johanna Lindsey and Envy by Sandra Brown. I know I have enjoyed more, but those are the ones that I remember easily.
by Juliet
on October 16th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
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Oooh, BRAVEHEART! Forgot about that! Also THE PATRIOT and FATAL ATTRACTION. Excellent!
Ann
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Love revenge stories in general… and my fav. movie is Legally Blonde…
by Lily
on October 16th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
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My favorite book is Johanna Lindsey’s Prisonner of Desire… and revenge was the main element of the book!! It adds a bit of spice and originality to books!
by Nathalie
on October 16th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
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There’s Jodie Fosters The Brave One, but that’s definitely not a G-rated film.
Older films are: The Count of Monte Cristo; V for Vendetta and there’s The Princess Bride.
by Sue A.
on October 16th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
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The Good Ghouls Guide To Getting Even by Julie Kenner is a good revenge book( it’s a YA)
by danette
on October 16th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
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I don’t really like revenge books… I think I have never read one 
maybe I am a forgiving person!!
by Lila
on October 16th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
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Favorite revenge movie..Enough with Jennifer Lopez.
She lets the ex-husband have it but good! Talk about some major butt-kicking!
by Angie T
on October 16th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
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Thanks to everyone for participating today! I’ve randomly chosen Pearl and Ruth to receive books. Ladies, please send your snail mail addys to me at ann@annchristopher.com.
Have a great night! See you next time!
Ann
