Romance Novels

[Deleted]

Feb 4, 2020 22:46:56 GMT -4 chonies said:

I can’t really think of any particular storylines, although I read silhouette recently where the pair originally met because they were step siblings for a brief time (blechh). I‘ll give a hard pass to Southern men and cowboys, but I guess I’m open enough to plots. I’ll read any book about a librarian, but I’m picky about the details because they can get in the way of the main story.

A novel about a librarian made me realize I could live my life how I want. It wasn't very realistic, but it definitely made and impression. I may read it again and see if it holds up! If anyone wants to laugh at me, it's called The Dewey Decimal System of Love

[Deleted]

That's crazy that you posted that Weekender, because I am actually reading the excerpt for The Worst Best Man right now. I am barely into it but so far, it's not terrible.

Cheating is my big nope. Storylines with babies don't interest me. Unhappy endings where one of the main characters dies is a hard pass. Reading is escapism to me -- a break from all of the awful news we are bombarded with.

[Ladybug]

Jun 21, 2005 13:29:26 GMT -4 @borokat said:

Reading is escapism to me -- a break from all of the awful news we are bombarded with.

Yes! I was a mystery reader until Nov. 2016. Then I needed to put down stressful or complex books for a while and read pure escapism with happy endings.

I usually avoid books about hot billionaires. I think it comes from my distaste for 50 Shades. I don't want to read about cold men who are obsessed with money.

The worst one I've read recently was 99% Mine by Sally Thorne. The heroine was really unpleasant, selfish, manipulative and just a total mess and she didn't change that much by the book's end. She had an unrequited thing with her brother's best friend, who was gallant, responsible, caring, like the perfect romantic hero (And he was a contractor! Hot guy building stuff, yes please!). I was hoping the hero would open his eyes and dump her and go back to his ex-fiance.

[Deleted]

Feb 5, 2020 10:47:08 GMT -4 Ladybug said:

Jun 21, 2005 13:29:26 GMT -4 @borokat said:

Reading is escapism to me -- a break from all of the awful news we are bombarded with.

Yes! I was a mystery reader until Nov. 2016. Then I needed to put down stressful or complex books for a while and read pure escapism with happy endings.

I usually avoid books about hot billionaires. I think it comes from my distaste for 50 Shades. I don't want to read about cold men who are obsessed with money.

The worst one I've read recently was 99% Mine by Sally Thorne. The heroine was really unpleasant, selfish, manipulative and just a total mess and she didn't change that much by the book's end. She had an unrequited thing with her brother's best friend, who was gallant, responsible, caring, like the perfect romantic hero (And he was a contractor! Hot guy building stuff, yes please!). I was hoping the hero would open his eyes and dump her and go back to his ex-fiance.

My pet peeve is hot, self-made billionaires in their twenties. That is not a thing. Twenty-somethings are not billionaires. What's wrong with just a plain old millionaire?

[ennazus]

...or thousandaire

[chonies]

Oh god, SAME. ESPECIALLY if they "clawed their way out of a slum." However, one self-made millionaire character recently got his start by being a gigolo, which was an interesting back story. And these early-30s millionaires IRL are never hot. I have no idea how much money Martin Shkreli ever had, but that's who comes to mind.

[Deleted]

I know its fiction but timeline is important to me. Former military Special Forces, gazillionaires who are 30 is not a thing. Attorneys who made partner at 29 is not a thing. Head of Cardiology at 31 is not a thing. It is as if authors want their male lead to be highly accomplished professionally but also not experience the balding, wrinkles and middle-aged spread that goes along with devoting yourself to a highly competitive and stressful field.

Cue Mr. B. saying: "It's a romance novel." But I need realism!

[roseland]

This tends to be a historical romance trope but I can’t read novels where the heroine is being held captive and eventually falls for her jailer. I don’t care how caring and thoughtful he is during the captivity, if the heroine cannot leave of her own free will, the sex is not consensual and, therefore, not romantic.

One of the best-enemies-to-true-love romances I’ve ever read was Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. She’s also the author of one of my all-time favorite books titled Mr. Impossible. Really, she’s just a great author. All her books are good but the two I’ve mentioned are my favorites.

[Deleted]

Feb 5, 2020 18:40:51 GMT -4 roseland said:

One of the best-enemies-to-true-love romances I’ve ever read was Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. She’s also the author of one of my all-time favorite books titled Mr. Impossible. Really, she’s just a great author. All her books are good but the two I’ve mentioned are my favorites.

I loooooove Lord of Scoundrels! For many many years was #1 on AllAboutRomance's reader's poll of favorite/top romance of all time.

[mojogirl]

A little off topic IRT medium, but PBS just started a new Lucy Worsley(love her!) series called "A Very British Romance" where she talks about how "romantic love" became popularized in the 16th century, mainly because of the rise of romance novels. The first episode aired Sunday and I watched it last night.

It was interesting that some of the Very Wrong tropes that romance is finally trying to ditch were there from the very beginning (woman held against her will falls in love with her captor.)