Winter will soon be upon us and sometimes mittens and hot chocolate aren't enough to keep us warm. We've got a suggestion: Read a red-hot romance! Don't worry, you won't be alone in your pursuit of steamy stories -- a bit more than half of the paperback books bought in the U.S. are romances. And if you haven't ever read one, what better time is there than now? Don't forget, romance is the basis of many great stories. In fact, the first novels were referred to as 'romances,' so when you pick up one of these fiery little bundles with the hot couple on the front cover, you can sit back in comfort knowing you're keeping alive a centuries-old tradition!

The Gryphon
by Nick Bantock
This unusual love story takes up where the Griffin and Sabine trilogy left off, with the disappearance of those literary letter-writing lovers, Griffin and Sabine. If this book doesn't inspire you to go down to your local stationery shop, get some nice paper, and write letters to your loved ones, nothing will. Matthew and Isobel are continents apart, and, because her computer is on the fritz (we all know how that goes!), they're writing each other a lot of letters, each more compelling than the last. There's beautiful art, a good story, and you get to read other people's letters -- as with Bantock's other books, you'll be able to unfold letters, touch postcards, and marvel at exotic designs and stamps. A treat for the eye, and a tribute to love, however mysterious it may be.

Custody
by Nancy Thayer
Nancy Thayer's complicated romance/mystery novel will keep you engrossed even as the temperatures fall outside. Kelly McLeod has just been appointed to the bench when a whole raft of secrets -- hers, her new lover's, her lover's family's -- all threaten to come into the open at once. Thayer capably infuses the story with a nice mix of legal wrangling and romantic exploits and shows us that life -- especially love! -- is more than a little complicated. We say you'd better sit back, stoke up the fire, and get something hot to drink, because you'll be reading this one long into the night.

Middle Age: A Romance
by Joyce Carol Oates
This latest novel from the prolific Ms. Oates is a scorcher. The romance here is buried underneath the tale of an artist who dies while trying to save a child. His rather unlikely posthumous heroic status throws a wrench into relationships throughout the small town of Salthill-on-Hudson: some couples break up, while others form new bonds. Middle Age has nothing of the roaring storms of tempestuous teenage relationships; rather, it's a reminder -- like Julie and Romeo, below -- that the heart is never still, and that love can strike at any age.

Which Witch
by Eva Ibbotson
Romance isn't limited to adults -- remember how important it was as a kid? And where did we really learn how much fun romance can be? In books written for young adults like this one, of course! The wizard Arriman the Awful needs to find a wife, so he does it in the good-old-fashioned, fairy-tale-approved manner: by holding a competition open to all witches. Does he get more than he bargains for? Does he get what he hopes for? Hint: It's a romance!

Julie and Romeo
by Jeanne Ray
The No. 1 July/August 2001 Book Sense 76 pick! Said Linda Burg of Little Read Book in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, "A love story for all ages about a romance between two rival florists in their 60s. They vow that a generation-long family feud between their families will not affect their feelings for each other. This is a laugh-out-loud novel and one of our favorites."

The Fiery Cross
by Diana Gabaldon
Diana Gabaldon obviously knows how important heat is -- witness the title and all those cold nights that her time-traveling lovers endure (don't ask how) in the latest book in her Outlander series. This book won't just keep you busy for a while (it's nearly 1,000 pages long!), it's so big it'll block any holes in your walls. But then, why are you buying books if you have holes in your walls? (Trick question, we know why! It's the fifth in the series and you've got to read it!)

Splendid
by Julia Quinn
Hopefully Prince William, who attends the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, has in his class schedule something like "The Regency Romance: A Warning!" Why? Because ever since the 18th century, any number of American heiresses have traveled to Europe to find husbands. A couple of the best-known examples are Mary Astor and Jennie Jerome (Winston Churchill's mother). However, in this fine example of the romance category known as Regency, American Emma Dunster has no intentions of marriage when she takes a trip to London. Of course, she hadn't bargained on getting involved with the famous rake, the Duke of Ashbourne! The phrase "If you play with fire, your fingers will get burned" comes to mind. Besides, in winter it's better to read about Britain than it is to visit!

The Prince of Midnight
by Laura Kinsale
We really wanted to recommend Laura Kinsale's Flowers from the Storm, but it's out of print, so do try this title instead. It's somewhat similar to Flowers in that an injured man is helped back to health by a woman -- and what a woman she is! Leigh Strahan is looking for revenge and she wants the legendary highwayman, the Prince of Midnight, to help her out. This book takes some of the traditional romance novel plot points and turns them on their head. For example, Leigh is in command and the shy, retiring (no, really!) Prince is the one who has to be persuaded into action....

More Heat, More Lust, More Love!

• Voluptuous Readings
• Nancy Thayer on Nantucket and Love
• Read our interview with Nick Bantock