Defining A Good Read

I thought author Gwyneth Bolton's post on what makes a compelling read was excellent -- so I thought I'd link to it. At the Romance Slam Jam in Miami, Gwyneth gave what I imagine was a wonderful and dynamic workshop entitled, "Couldn't Put It Down: What Makes a Compelling Romance Read?" A portion of her workshop description follows:

We have all had the experience of finishing a book and smiling, sufficiently satisfied with money and time well spent. We have also had the experience of finishing a book (or not finishing a book) and wanting to throw the book against the wall. There are certain elements that we can point to in a particularly great book and pretty much all agree on. Things that say to us all, this was a good read! In this workshop we will share some of these as we all try and figure out: what makes a compelling read?

Click here to see what Gwyneth's Romance Slam Jam workshop group came up with as far as compelling read must-haves.

(While you're on Gwyneth's blog -- make sure you congratulate her on all the awards she won at Slam Jam! YOU GO, GWYNETH!)

As I embark on writing my first novella, this is something that as an author I've been giving a lot of thought to. What makes people want to read every book an author writes? What makes people swear off of ever reading another book by a certain author? What makes some authors bestsellers and keeps others in mid-list or even lower territory? Should a good book make you think? Educate you? Allow you to escape the rigors of daily life? Be strictly entertainment? All of the above? None of the above? Does a compelling read differ based on the genre? Should what works for a compelling romance be different for a thriller or a more literary novel?

What are your thoughts? For you, what makes a book a compelling read?