Gotta love a hot steamy Christmas romance novel! 

A little time by the sea would be great. I wouldn't mind frolicking with a selkie.

Selkies are Gaelic mythological creatures (though simlar stories are told in Iceland). They live in the ocean as seals but on land as human.  

Enjoy this Selkie Themed Romances! My lists are never in any particular order.

1. A Well Favored Gentleman by Christina Dodd

Where has she been? The rumors fly throughout the Scottish countryside about Lady Alanna, the beautiful and mysterious displaced mistress of Fionnaway Manor. And now she has emerged from hiding, only to find her beloved estate besieged by greedy relatives. . .and coveted by a darkly handsome Englishman.

Ian Fairchild knows that Fionnaway belongs to him alone. For years he yearned for the cherished place where he passed his childhood. He can secure his rights to the manor only through marriage with the enigmatic Alanna, but the exquisite hellion has warned him at knifepoint to leave her house. 

Now with skill and charm, Ian must penetrate the lady's defenses, and boldly lay claim to her body and spirit. But first he must prove himself worthy, and he holds the power to enchant and delight, inflame and inspire. . .and to convince this lady her true home is in her lover's heart

2. He Said, Sidhe Said by Tanya Huff

In these seven contemporary fantasies from Tanya Huff, we see a dog's eye view of loyalty and a cat's eye view of sea serpents. We learn that some Brownies could use a shave – although cookies will still be sold – and that there are at least two sides to every relationship, no matter how accidental and/or mythical that relationship is. We're also reminded that however worthwhile it may be to die with purpose, it's better to live well.  Huff's ability to leaven heartache with humour – and vise versa – gives this collection of previously published stories an unexpected emotional variety.

3. The Shadow of Mist by Yasmine Galenorn

It’s been more than a century since Siobhan Morgan fled Ireland to start a new life in America. As a selkie, she kept much of her life a secret, even from her good friends the D’Artigo sisters. But now a dark presence from her past has found its way across the ocean, in the form of a man obsessed with possessing her. With the D’Artigo sisters’ help, Siobhan must stop him before he destroys everything she loves.

4. Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra

Margred is a Selkie—a legendary being of the sea, able to shapeshift into seductive human form. And she has found a human she desires...

Burned out from the big city, Caleb Hunter becomes police chief on the peaceful Maine island of World’s End. Then he meets a woman who’s everything he’s ever dreamed of…

Their passion is undeniable, irresistible—and it may change the fate of humankind.

5. Love Struck by Melissa Marr

Alana knows the legends of selchies, the sea-fey who leave their seal-like pelts behind when they walk on land, passing for humans. But she never imagined she would meet one—let alone two—on the night of an otherwise forgettable beach party. 

The selchie Murrin, though, has long imagined actually meeting Alana, the girl he has chosen over the sea. He never expected that the meeting would be so complicated, or that an old rivalry would make winning Alana's trust—and love—so difficult.

6. The Selkie Bride by Melanie Jackson

Recently widowed, Megan Culbin has inherited more than just a quaint cottage on the Scottish coast; she has inherited the ire of an ancient monster—and the protection of a virile selkie warrior.

7. Selkie's Revenge by Rosanna Leo

When a heartbroken, lonely widow is saved by an equally heartbroken, mysterious man, their lives are changed forever. But evil stalks the beaches of Orkney. Before their long-buried emotions can take flight, they have to save themselves from a monster with no soul. The pages burn with passion in Book 2 of Rosanna Leo’s hot, fantasy series, Orkney Selkies. 

On the beaches of Orkney, Scotland, an evil entity stalks mortal women. Machar “Mack” Kirk is a selkie man with a haunted past, one that has prompted him to become a hunter. He prowls the beaches at night, his arrows aiming for the finman who took his first love. 

Beth Pedersen also watches the sea. The haunted widow has suffered losses of her own, ones that have crippled her into a state of stony grief. Beth can no longer feel, can no longer see color and life. Until the day Mack Kirk saves her from a mysterious foe, flooding her world with brightness and foreign temptation. 

As Mack and Beth fight their growing passion, the finman escalates his attacks. Before long, Mack realizes he’s not just playing Good Samaritan. He wants Beth, too, and will do anything to ensure his lover isn’t taken by the finman. But can he protect his mate from a monster with no soul? 

8. Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human. 

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire. 

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie's lamp. 

9. The Keepers: Christmas in Salem by Heather Graham, Deborah Leblanc, Kathleen Pickering, and Beth Ciotta 

Christmas is coming to Salem, but so is an evil force that threatens all mankind. In this memorable collection led by New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham, four powerful Keepers must save their community as a strange, eternal night creeps over the town. Forced to choose between their time-honored responsibilities or the lovers their hearts desire, these four extraordinary women must risk their own happiness to save the holiday. But Christmas is a time for miracles, and as each Keeper's greatest longing is met, the Season of Light returns.

10. Seal the Deal by JoAnne Kenrick

After being ditched at the altar, Finn Kneale isolates himself at Port St. Mary's magnificent lighthouse. A violent storm ravishes the coastline, pitching the maritime tower into the Irish sea and transforming Finn into a seal. Carefree at first, he soon longs to walk as a man again. When leap year arrives, bathing land and sea in magic, Finn temporarily regains his human form. If he can't find his soul mate in twenty-four hours, he'll be back to cavorting among the waves.

I have a vague idea  of what a Socialite is but it is pretty murky-- a woman who has enough funds so that she doesn't work a traditionial profession. Instead, a Socialite's time is spent on social events. High Society Events involving charity, fashion, and .... 

Let's see what Wiki says: 

A socialite is a person (usually from a privileged, wealthy or aristocratic background), who has a largely known reputation and a high social position in upper class society. A socialite spends a significant amount of time participating in popular social activities and continually attends various social gatherings such as charity events, private parties, fashion shows, fine arts fundraisers, luncheons, festivals and other exclusive events; as well as engaging in conversations with guests or entertaining members who are socially connected or share a similar upper-class social standing.^[1][2]

I did pretty good. 

We love us a Socialite in Romance Novels. 

Here are some lovely Contemporary Romance Novels with Socialites as Heroines. 

My lists are never in any particular order.

1. Jinxed by Beth Ciotta

Since the day beautiful socialite Afia St. John was born, her life has been plagued with bad luck. After losing her father and two older husbands in 'freak' accidents, Afia discovers her business manager has absconded with her fortune. Vowing not to rely on another man to guide her life, Afia refuses her godfathers' help, and jumps at an unexpected job with Leeds Investigations. With a pregnant, broke, sister and an investigation agency in the red, control-freak Jake Leeds can't turn down the hefty but secret retainer offered by Afia's godfather for hiring her. Quickly seeing beyond her poor business skills, wacky superstitions and and sensationalized personal history, he realizes Afia is as generous in the heart as she is misunderstood. But life is never easy for the woman born on Friday the 13th. Will the sexy PI be the good luck charm that puts her on a winning streak or, like everything else in her life, will their relationship wind up Jinxed?

2. An Unforgettable Lady by J.R. Ward

Grace Hall is a society beauty-but her fortune has made her the target of a madman killing off Manhattan's most influential women. Her new live-in bodyguard is uncompromising, hard-hearted John Smith. Moving into Grace's penthouse is the last thing he wants, but saying no isn't an option. As he lays down the rules for his new client, angry sparks ignite between them-as does an incendiary desire. As the warm nights grow hot, and the killer closes in, Grace and Smith face a crucial choice: follow the rules or follow their hearts.

3. Born Wild by Julie Ann Walker

TICK...TICK...
"Wild" Bill Reichert knows a thing or two about explosives. The ex-Navy SEAL can practically rig a bomb blindfolded. But there's no way to diffuse the inevitable fireworks the day Eve Edens walks back into his life, asking for help...

BOOM!
Eve doesn't know what to do when the Chicago police won't believe someone is out to hurt her. The only place to turn is Black Knights Inc-after all, no one is better at protection than the covert special-ops team. Yet there's also no one better at getting her all turned on than Billy Reichert. She has a feeling this is one blast from the past that could backfire big time...

4. The Tycoon's Socialite Bride by Tracey Livesay

o avenge his mother's mistreatment at the hands of her upper-crust employer, self-made real estate tycoon Marcus Pearson needs entree into their exclusive world.  When D.C. socialite Pamela Harrington comes to him for help, Marcus realizes the golden admission ticket he's been seeking has suddenly fallen into his lap.

Pamela will do anything to save her favorite cause, even agree to a marriage of convenience. The altruistic "it-girl" isn't worried about the pretend passion with Marcus turning real; she's sworn off powerful, driven men who use her for her family's connections.

So she'll deny the way her pulse races with one look from his crystalline blue eyes.  And he'll ignore the way his body throbs with each kiss from her full lips.  Because there's no way he'll lose his blue-collar heart to the blue-blooded beauty.

5. The Chocolate Heart by Laura Florand

No one hates Paris--except Summer Corey. The moody winters. The artists and their ennui. The inescapable shadow of the Tour Eiffel. But things go from bad to worse when Summer stumbles into brooding, gorgeous chef pâtissier Luc Leroi and indecently propositions the hero of French cuisine...

Luc has scrambled up from a childhood panhandling in the Paris Métro to become the king of his city, and he has no patience for this spoiled princess, even if she does now own his restaurant. Who cares if she smiles with all the warmth of July? She doesn't eat dessert! 

There is only one way to tempt her. A perfect, impossibly sweet seduction...

6. A Kiss to Build a Dream On by Kim Amos

TROUBLE IN HIGH HEELS . . . 

If pride goes before a fall, Willa Masterson's trip back to White Pine, Minnesota, should be one heck of a tumble The girl who left her hometown-and her first love, Burk Olmstead-in the rearview twelve years ago was spoiled and headstrong. But the woman who returns is determined to rebuild: first her family house; then her relationships with everyone in town . . . starting with a certain tall, dark, and sexy contractor.

MEETS HER MATCH

Burk has no reason to believe Willa has changed, and every reason to discourage her from converting the Masterson house into a B&B. He has plans of his own for that house, and they certainly don't include a no-vacancy sign. But Burk didn't count on how distracting Willa's bright green eyes or her all-too-familiar touch would feel-or how impossible she will be to resist . . .

7. There Goes the Bride by Lori Wilde

egend claims this antique Irish wedding veil can grant your heart's deepest desire. But be careful what you wish for...

The moment Texas socialite Delaney Cartwright touches the veil, she knows she can't go through with her wedding. And it's not just because she envisions a stranger's dark eyes and irresistible lips the second her fingers hit lace. But she can't simply call the whole thing off. The nuptials to her nice, predictable childhood friend are the social event of the season (not to mention that her mother would freak). To fan the flames of this dying ember, Delaney abducts her fiance for a night of passion...and grabs the wrong guy! It isn't her fault that Detective Nick Vinetti of the oddly familiar eyes and lips has crossed her path--and looks game for all kinds of sexy fun.

Now Delaney hatches an outrageous plan to get out of marrying: she'll hire her own kidnapper. With an altar to avoid and a cop to dream of, this runaway bride is hoping a little Irish magic will unveil the true destiny of her heart.

8. His Diamond of Convenience by Maisey Yates

Twelve years ago, Victoria Calder made a mistake that cost her father his business. Now she finally has a chance to atone. And if that means going toe-to-toe with the arresting Dmitri Markin she's prepared to step into the ring…and put his on her finger! 

Dmitri—former martial arts fighter, present-day pleasure seeker—is a man who likes to win. The beautiful Ms. Calder might have initially shocked him with her proposition, but there's more than one advantage to the deal she's proposing… If this dedicated bachelor is going to surrender to marriage it certainly won't be in name only!

9. Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy

Chicago ex-socialite Amanda Delmar's father has cut her off, and now she must do the unthinkable--work. Single father Danny Tucker hires her to babysit his daughter, not knowing that this debutante might just find a place in his heart.

10. What a Woman Gets by Judi Fennell

Business owner Liam Manley has no patience for women like Cassidy Davenport—women happy to spend a man’s money without giving a thought to any actual work. But to make good on his bet, Liam must not only tolerate the couture-clad socialite, he’ll have to clean up after her. Until Cassidy’s father suddenly cuts off her finances. With no money and no home for Liam to clean, Cassidy has no choice but to accept a job offer—as Liam’s new maid…
 
Liam is eager to teach her a lesson about the real world, but he winds up learning a few things himself. Free from her father’s influence, Cassidy can finally pursue her own life, and winds up showing Liam how resourceful and determined she can be. Not to mention how sexy she is with (or without) that designer wardrobe. But when sparks fly between them, will it be true love…or just another messy affair?
 

Vote for Socialites in Contemporary Romance on my Goodreads list. 

I suppose the reason poets are rare as leads in Romance Novels is that writers are afraid they will have to write poems in the novel. 

For the most part, please don't.  

Poets are quirky language lovers and make just wonderful heroes and heroines. We need more!

Here are some lovely wordsmiths in Romance Novels!

My lists are never in any particular order.

1. Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

A sweeping story told in letters, spanning two continents and two world wars, Jessica Brockmole’s atmospheric debut novel captures the indelible ways that people fall in love, and celebrates the power of the written word to stir the heart.
 
March 1912: Twenty-four-year-old Elspeth Dunn, a published poet, has never seen the world beyond her home on Scotland’s remote Isle of Skye. So she is astonished when her first fan letter arrives, from a college student, David Graham, in far-away America. As the two strike up a correspondence—sharing their favorite books, wildest hopes, and deepest secrets—their exchanges blossom into friendship, and eventually into love. But as World War I engulfs Europe and David volunteers as an ambulance driver on the Western front, Elspeth can only wait for him on Skye, hoping he’ll survive.
 
June 1940: At the start of World War II, Elspeth’s daughter, Margaret, has fallen for a pilot in the Royal Air Force. Her mother warns her against seeking love in wartime, an admonition Margaret doesn’t understand. Then, after a bomb rocks Elspeth’s house, and letters that were hidden in a wall come raining down, Elspeth disappears. Only a single letter remains as a clue to Elspeth’s whereabouts. As Margaret sets out to discover where her mother has gone, she must also face the truth of what happened to her family long ago.

2. Santa Viking by Sandra Hill

Bolthor the Skald has been there for his fellow warriors, both in battle and as a friend. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, so to speak. This gentle giant, now scarred and retired from the fray, has never found a woman who loves him despite his rough appearance—and his poetry, which is woefully bad.  

Enter the sexy, Saxon widow Katherine of Wickshire Manor, a woman in need of a strong man to take care of her, her four children, not to mention about two hundred chickens, in the style none of her first three husbands could manage.

When Viking meets Saxon, the sparks do fly.

3. Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid

There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit. 

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.

4. Scandal by Amanda Quick

With her reputation forever tarnished by a youthful indiscretion, lovely Emily Faringdon is resigned to a life of spinsterhood–until she embarks on an unusual correspondence and finds herself falling head over heels in love. Sensitive, intelligent, and high-minded, her noble pen pal seems to embody everything Emily has ever dreamed of in a man. But Simon Augustus Traherne, the mysterious Earl of Blade, is not at all what he seems.

Driven by dark, smoldering passions and a tragic secret buried deep within his soul, Blade has all of London cowering at his feet, but not Emily . . . never Emily. For even as she surrenders to his seductive charms, she knows the real reason for his amorous suit. And she knows that she must reach the heart of this golden-eyed dragon before the avenging demons of their entwined pasts destroy the only love she has ever known.

5. The Poet and the Hypotenuse by Karine Hetherington

Paris, 1935. Tatiana is a Russian immigrant whose family have fled the Bolsheviks. She falls for a young Frenchman, Daniel, but her family remains trapped in the prejudices of its aristocratic past. The impoverished Daniel, secretary to a poet, is not considered a worthy match, and he has a secret he must share with Tatiana. 

6. Romancing the West by Beth Ciotta

Emily McBride is in a pickle. The preacher’s daughter writes scandalous romantic adventures under a penname and someone’s uncovered her true identity. If the blackmailer exposes her double life her small town friends and the man of her dreams will never speak to her again. Worse, she’s growing fond of her new friend, a literary poet, who would surely be horrified by her dime novel fame. 

When lawman Seth Wright is recruited into the covert government agency, The Peacemaker Alliance, he’s eager to kick desperado butt. Instead his first mission is to travel to California to propose to Miss Emily McBride on behalf of his boss. Worse, when he arrives, the small town librarian mistakes him for a dandified poet! With two unwanted suitors and a blackmailer hounding her, Seth pretends to be that poet so he can stay close and protect her. It’s what his new boss would want. Unfortunately, Seth develops genuine feelings for the passionate book lover, which risks his future as a Peacemaker, especially when he learns she is not what she seems. More jolting . . . neither is he. 

7. Poetry Man  by Melanie Schuster

After trying everything from blind dates to online matchmaking to speed dating, Alexis Sharp has given up finding Mr. Right. Or even Mr. Almost Right. Until the stormy night when the South Carolina spa owner gets a flat…and a hunky stranger comes to her rescue.

Sexy, sensitive, supersuccessful Chicago chef Jared Van Buren is everything Alexis could want in a man. There's only one thing standing in the way of their budding romance—Jared isn't black.

To her surprise, Alexis discovers she and Jared aren't as different as she thinks. As desire melts their barriers, Jared vows to prove to Alexis that they belong together. When it comes to affairs of the heart, what will it take to convince the woman who fills his life with passionate poetry that love is color-blind?

8. Surrender to an Irish Warrior by Michelle Willingham

Bard and storyteller Trahern MacEgan wants vengeance for the death of his betrothed by Viking raiders. He is on their trail when he comes upon an injured Morren O'Reilly. Trahern rescues Morren and her sister and takes them back to her people. The village is destroyed and with the help of a neighboring clan they all begin to rebuild. Trahern shelters Morren from the men, but her nightmares come back when one of the raiders is discovered. Now he has two women to avenge, and a new love that scares him, as much as it grants him solace. 

9. Snow by Maxence Fermine

It is April 1884 and Yuko Akita has reached his seventeenth birthday on the Island of Hokkaid in the North of Japan. The time has come to choose his vocation, warrior or monk, but against the wishes of his father, Yuko settles on a third option: he will be a poet. Yuko begins to write the seventeen-syllable poems we know as haiku--all celebrating the beauty of snow, his one great subject. 

One day, the Imperial Poet arrives from the Emperor's court. He has heard about the beauty of Yuko's poems and has come to meet the young poet himself. While agreeing the poems have a music all their own, the Imperial Poet notes that lacking color, Yuko's poems are destined to remain invisible to the world. If the young poet is to learn color, he must study with the great artist Soseki in the south of Japan.

Yuko sets off on a treacherous journey across the whole of Japan. Cold, hungry, and exhausted, he encounters a vision that will forever change his life. It is a woman, frozen in the ice. With pale gold hair, ice blue eyes and a face as white as snow, the dead beauty will obsess Yuko. Who was she? How did she come to meet her death in the depths of his beloved snow?

Arriving at Soseki's door, Yuko is shocked to discover that the great master of color is blind. He will gradullay come to learn that color is not something outside of us, but within us. He will also learn about his master's Samurai past...and Soseki's link to the woman in the snow. It is a beautiful love story which will have its echo in Yuko's own as he finds his own, living, daughter of snow...

10. Poets and Promises by Lucy Muir

Elisabeth Ashwood is quite content with her quiet country life and has no desire to alter it, but she finds her whole life changing when circumstances dictate that she agree to a betrothal to the son of a family friend. Their reacquaintance, however, could only charitably be described as perilous.

Lord Sherbourne, in an attempt to gain favor with his betrothed, decides to introduce the studious Elisabeth to Leigh Hunt, leader of the London literary set. Delighted, Elisabeth finds herself frequently spending time with the morally ambiguous group, which includes Mary and Percy Shelley, despite knowing it’s not considered an acceptable milieu for a young woman of good family.

Having set herself on a path certain to clash with societal mores, Elisabeth may have to fight to save both her good character and her growing relationship with the dashing Lord Sherbourne.

Got more? Gimme! 

Vote on my Goodreads list:  Well Versed: Poets Leads in Romance Novels. 

Such a fun read! 

Since the day beautiful socialite Afia St. John was born, her life has been plagued with bad luck. After losing her father and two older husbands in 'freak' accidents, Afia discovers her business manager has absconded with her fortune. Vowing not to rely on another man to guide her life, Afia refuses her godfathers' help, and jumps at an unexpected job with Leeds Investigations. With a pregnant, broke, sister and an investigation agency in the red, control-freak Jake Leeds can't turn down the hefty but secret retainer offered by Afia's godfather for hiring her. Quickly seeing beyond her poor business skills, wacky superstitions and and sensationalized personal history, he realizes Afia is as generous in the heart as she is misunderstood. But life is never easy for the woman born on Friday the 13th. Will the sexy PI be the good luck charm that puts her on a winning streak or, like everything else in her life, will their relationship wind up Jinxed?