When it comes to steamy stories of mysterious characters, passion, and of course, romance, Penny Jordan, otherwise known as Penelope Halsall, has amassed a solid fan base among women. Says one Reddit user, “Penny Jordan is my favorite. Any book of hers was an instant buy for me.”
The UK romance novelist frequently writes under the pen names Melinda Wright, Penny Jordan, Caroline Courtney, and Lydia Hitchcock. Even after writing over 200 novels, her books are still anxiously awaited by her loyal fans.
Since novels take longer to write than read, many fans are understandably looking for other books in between releases that are somewhat similar to Penny Jordan’s sensual reads.
On that note, here’s a list of 20 of the best romance book authors who write like Penny Jordan:
Abby Green
One rainy day, Abby Green was standing outside an actor’s trailer when she realized that there has to be more to life than being an Assistant Director in the demanding film and T.V. industry.
Acting on that thought, she tapped into her love for Mills and Boon. With some guidance from her friend, she sent a partial draft to the publisher which was later accepted and the rest is history. Today, she has over 500 books listed on the book review site Goodreads, including A Ring for the Spaniard’s Revenge.
Carole Mortimer
Carole Mortimer wanted to be a nurse, but a back injury in her first year of training forced a career change. The avid reader turned to writing and became one of the youngest authors at Mills and Boon with The Passionate Winter in 1978.
She has since published over 150 romance novels.
In 2015, the writer was awarded the prestigious RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award — one of the greatest honors a romance writer can receive. She was also recognized by the Queen for her “outstanding service to literature.” discover her romance books here.
Charlotte Lamb
Sheila Holland (who writes under the pen names Charlotte Lamb, Laura Hardy, Sheila Lancaster, and Victoria Volf) began writing at her husband’s suggestion. She wrote her first book, Love in a Mist, in three days. What a feat, especially considering that she has three children!
Lamb was a prolific writer who “went beyond the bedroom door.” She explored the boundaries of sexual desire and taboo topics through modern romantic heroines, giving her novels a unique appeal. The author passed away on the 8th of October, 2000, but her works live on. Discover Charlotte Lamb’s books here.
Dani Collins
Dani Collins is a USA Today bestselling author who first dabbled in non-fiction as a “real job” before turning to fiction in May 2012.
The award-winning author of The Maid’s Spanish Secret, writes compelling contemporary romance, erotic romance, and romantic comedy, giving her readers entertaining stories that get their hearts soaring. If you like storylines with alphas, Collins is the man, or rather, woman, for you.
Emma Darcy
Emma Darcy is a pseudonym used by the husband and wife duo, Wendy and Frank Brennan.
The pair — who were first voracious readers — sold 60 million books between 1983 and 2001. They wrote 106 romance books for Mills and Boon and were regularly featured on the Walden Book bestsellers List (U.S.) and the Nielsen BookScan Top 100 (U.K). They also gave the suspense genre a go and won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Novel with their joint publication, Who Killed Angelique?
In 1993, the pair launched the “Emma Darcy Award Contest” to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their partnership. It incentivized authors to finish their manuscripts in exchange for a $2,000 prize and a meet-up with an editor.
Helen Bianchin
Helen Bianchin had a vivid imagination and an intense love for reading which later helped her in her successful writing career. Her time on a tobacco farm with her husband proved inspirational for her first manuscript, The Willing Heart, published in 1975. After an illustrious career, she retired after writing over 55 novels for Mills & Boon.
Bianchin is known for her compelling characters and situations where emotions are tested. This explains why readers find themselves hard-pressed to put her books down!
Helen Brooks
Helen Brooks is Rita Bradshaw’s pseudonym. As Brooks approached her 40s, she realized that she had forgotten about her teenage ambitions — one of which was writing a book. She promptly set out to remedy the oversight.
Brooks began writing in 1990. Her first manuscript, Deceitful Lover, was accepted after just one rewrite. She went on to author many other successful novels, one of them being Dancing in the Moonlight.
Jane Porter
Jane Porter, an American author, has a master’s degree in writing that she put to good use by writing over 45 books. She was featured in the New York Times’ Bestseller List and USA Today.
One of her books, Flirting with Forty, was even made into a movie with the same name!
Porter is a small-town girl at heart. She finds pleasure in the golden foothills, orange blossoms, and oak trees of her California home. She writes stories with happy endings so her books are sure to give you those feel-good vibes!
Julia James
Julia James devoured Mills and Boon novels as a teenager. It thus only made sense that she, too, would become an accomplished writer.
She has since published 20 contemporary romances that were well-received, her bestseller being The Dark Side Of Desire.
She considers the Mediterranean the most romantic setting. When she’s not writing, Julia enjoys gardening, creating needlework, and baking “gooey chocolate cakes.”
Lucy Monroe
Lucid Monroe, an avid reader and self-confessed people-watcher, is a lover and writer of romance. She has more than 40 books to her name, including the famous The Royal Brides, and has been featured on national bestseller lists in the U.S. and U.K.
The award-winning writer is known for sensual stories that depict the realities of life while transporting readers to a place where love wins every time.
Lynne Graham
Lynne Graham has been a keen reader since her teens. The Irish author wrote her first book at 15 which was rejected. But she didn’t let that steer her off course! The mother of 5 has since written over 100 romance books and has over 10 million books in print worldwide, including The Italian’s Bride Worth Billions.
When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, Lynne enjoys gardening and cooking. She also finds pleasure in all things Christmas.
Michelle Reid
Michelle Reid was inspired to read by her mother. She started writing as her children grew up and eventually had kids of their own. The recognized Mills and Boon author would scribble handwritten stories and went on to publish her first romance in 1988. She now has over 40 books to her name, including the famous The Italian’s Revenge.
Since her heroes are well-established alphas, readers can expect a lot of excitement and tension between them and her heroines.
Michelle Smart
Michelle Smart enjoys paperbacks. Her collection is so huge that she’s running out of space to keep them!
Smart took her love of stories to the next level by creating her own worlds in her romance novels. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author so readers should expect nothing but the best from the author — who is a big fan of coffee, btw. See her books here.
Miranda Lee
Maureen Lee, who wrote as Miranda Lee, quit her job as a programmer when she married. She then started writing after moving to a small semi-rural community.
The Australian writer published her first novel, After the Affair, with Mills and Boon in the 1990s. She also committed to writing The Hearts of Fire — a six-book series — quite early in her career.
The support of her husband, who became a stay-at-home father, proved instrumental in furthering her writing career. As a result, she now has over 75 romance novels with captivating storylines and characters to show for it.
Patricia Wilson
Patricia Wilson retired early and moved to Crete where she started to write stories inspired by locals. This is clearly evident in her bestselling book Islands of Secrets.
The author wrote intriguing romantic contemporary stories. Her first novel, The Final Price, put her on the path to greatness. Since then, she has published 53 romance novels with Mills and Boon between 1986 and 2004.
Sandra Marton
Sandra Marton studied English in college but only realized she wanted to write after getting married and starting a family.
When Marton wrote her first novel, she sent a sample of her work to many publishers — one of which was Harlequin. After publishing with the Canada-based publisher, she went on to write more than 80 romance novels about love that have stood the test of time.
Marton is a USA Today Bestselling Author, one of her famous series being the Orsini Brides. In addition, she won the Holt Medallion and eight Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards. Plus, she was a finalist for the highest distinction for romance writing in the English language — the RITA award — four times.
Sara Holland
Sara Holland, daughter of romance writer Sheila Holland, followed in her mother’s footsteps and bagged the New York Times bestselling author award.
She started writing at her mother’s side in 1980. Two years later, she published her first book with Mills and Boon. The author has since written 22 romances, including the famous Evermore. Her works have been translated into many languages and published in over 130 countries! Did we mention she’s also an actress and singer?
Sarah Morgan
Sarah Morgan is a celebrated British romance and women’s fiction writer. She is the recipient of the prestigious RITA award, RT Reviewers Choice Award, and the All About Romance Reader Award.
The author’s trademark humor and warmth have made her a global celebrity. She has sold over 21 million copies and published 80 romance novels, including the bestseller The Summer Seekers. Readers are sure to find a storyline or character they like in her extensive repertoire.
Sharon Kendrick
Sharon Kendrick is a book lover who started writing at 11 and hasn’t stopped since. Her first manuscript was accepted and published without any changes by Harlequin.
She has written over 100 romance novels that constantly top the sales charts.
Readers will enjoy Kendrick’s fast-paced romances that have an emotional intensity to them, her A Week With The Forbidden Greek being one of her bestsellers. They feature steamy heroes that will have you sighing and flipping the pages in anticipation.
But then again, can you expect anything else from a writer who enjoys drifting into daydreams while cooking up new plots?
Susan Napier
Perhaps it was fortuitous that Susan Napier was born on Valentine’s Day. After all, she has written over 30 traditional romances for Mills and Boon, her bestseller being Mistress of the Groom.
The best thing? Her romance novels are filled with twists and turns so readers are deliciously kept on their toes from start to finish. The author supports love of all kinds and believes that faith keeps romance alive.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been anxiously awaiting more stories from Penny Jordan, you can find the same romance-ridden conflicts, red-hot chemistry, and happy endings with any of these renowned authors. Each of these writers has an impressive number of titillating romance books in their portfolios that we encourage you to explore.
Who knows? Perhaps by the end, you’ll have new favorites to add to your list!
Which of these authors will you start your journey with?
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read if I like Penny Jordan?
If you like Penny Jordan, consider reading bestsellers by Dani Collins, Abby Green, Sarah Holland, Michelle Reid, Miranda Lee, and Jane Porter. Or, take a look at our list and choose from 20 of our recommendations!
What is the Harlequin genre?
Harlequin publishes stories about romantic relationships between alpha males and beautiful heroines.
What should I read if I liked Marriage: To Claim His Twins: A Secret Baby Romance?
Sharon Kendrick, Lynne Graham, Julia James, and the other authors mentioned in our list write like Penny Jordan.
What are the subgenres in romantic fiction?
Contemporary romance, historical romance, inspirational romance, romantic suspense, speculative romance, and young adult are some of the popular subgenres in romantic fiction.
Keren Dinkin had seven years of work experience in digital marketing and e-commerce before shifting gears and becoming a full-time content writer. She loves words and the power they hold, which explains her passion for writing.
Keren is based in California. When she is not at her desk whipping up compelling narratives and sipping on endless cups of coffee, you can find her curled up with a book, playing with her dog, or pottering about in the garden.
