Summertime will be here soon, but we don't need a rise in temperatures to enjoy hot, sultry, often times mysterious romance. We need only journey to the southern United States, where passion can be found simmering at any time of the year. The Deep South, with a multitude of cultural influences, has been the setting for some of the sexiest, steamiest romances ever written. From the dark, seductive streets of New Orleans's French Market to the mysterious and sometimes eerie Bayou to the sweeping plantations of a bygone era, the South offers a wide variety of alluring settings. Add a touch of French, Spanish, Caribbean and Indian influence, mix in Cajun food, fabulous music, and perhaps a bit of voodoo, and you've got an unbeatable combination for a wonderful read. The hero might be an Indian prince, a wealthy landowner of French descent, or an accomplished riverboat gambler. He might speak with a slow, seductive Southern accent, or whisper words of love in French. The heroine could be a Southern belle or the daughter of one of the well-established European families who made the South their home. She might have been raised in the strictest and most proper manner, or to be the headstrong mistress of her own plantation. Regardless, when she and the hero come together, their passionate natures clash, struggle. . .and, in the end, give way to love. We celebrate the many passionate, hot-blooded romances set in the South with the following list of your favorites.