by Kat Latham
My husband’s the youngest of four boys. If I were a romance novel heroine, that would mean I’d have plenty of dating opportunities if anything awful happened to my husband.
As a real woman, that thought fills me with the ickies.
Dating two people in one family is a common theme in contemporary romance. Kristin Higgins’s The Next Best Thing, for example, is about a woman who starts sleeping with her dead husband’s brother while she’s grieving, but eventually learns he’s more than a way to forget her pain for a while.
One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry—released this month by Harlequin Superromance—tells the story of Gabby, who falls in love with her ex-boyfriend’s brother. She’s only recently met Jon, who lived in Canada when she was dating his younger brother Tyler. And she dumped Tyler three years ago. Perhaps these details ease the ick-factor those of us with real-life brothers-in-law feel.
Jon himself is not immune to feeling uncomfortable that the woman he’s having sex with also used to practically live with his younger brother. And the sexual side of their relationship is what he focuses on.
She was hands down the sexiest, most responsive lover he’d ever had. Tyler must have been nuts to let her slip away.
Jon ground his teeth. He wasn’t sure from which dark, reptilian part of his brain that thought had popped up, but he didn’t want to hear from it again. The fact that Tyler knew Gabby intimately had always lurked in there somewhere, niggling at him, but he had refused to acknowledge it. He didn’t want to think about his brother with her. Didn’t want to imagine her undressing for him, moaning for him—
He shoved the piece of wood he’d been measuring along the workbench, sending a chisel flying into the wall.
He’d never been jealous of his brother, not even when they were kids. They’d had bigger fish to fry growing up, and as adults they hadn’t seen each other enough to drum up any rivalry. Truth be told, he wasn’t a jealous man. A perfectionist in his work, yes. A tough but fair boss, hopefully. But he’d never coveted another man’s woman before, and this seemed like a particularly shitty time to start.
Gabby’s not Tyler’s woman. Not anymore.
Gabby, on the other hand, doesn’t think about the weirdness of having sex with her ex’s brother. Instead she focuses on the emotional blockades that destroyed her relationship with Tyler.
Jon suffers from the same emotional constipation Tyler did, and these are the thoughts that torture her as he pushes her away.
Gabby stood at the window, watching Jon drive away. Everything in her had wanted to go down there and throw her arms around him and tell him it was going to be all right. But Jon didn’t want her comfort. He’d made that more than clear. He held himself as tightly as a fist and while he might let her in for sex, he wasn’t about to share the other parts of himself with her.
Remind you of anyone?
She’d already played this game with one Adamson. She didn’t think she had it in her to try again.
I can think of one good thing about hooking up with your ex’s brother: you already know how to deal with your in-laws.
I really enjoyed One Good Reason, but I had to switch off that bit of my brain saying “One Thanksgiving you’ll look around the table and realize half the people there have seen you nekkid.”
And for me, that would be enough to bring the stuffing back up.
What do you think of stories where the heroine has relationships with brothers? Comment and enter to win a print or digital copy of ONE GOOD REASON or THE NEXT BEST THING.
Kat Latham has been reading romance for a couple of decades. With degrees in English lit and human rights, she loves stories that reflect the depth, humor and emotion of real life. When she’s not writing contemporary romance novels, she can usually be found blogging or tweeting overly personal information. She loves meeting other readers and writers online, so follow her on Twitter or check out her blog and say hello!
Definite ick factor for me, too. But I do love Sarah Mayberry’s books so I would give her story a try. Thanks!
There’s a definite ick factor in real life but I have read some good ones.
Situations where a woman has a relationship with more than one brother definitely could lead to disaster in real life but in fiction I don’t mind them since I’m reading about the characters and what motivates them and how they feel about each other.
I can see where this could be a problem within the family. Lot of family members wouldn’t go for it. Now I enjoy reading books like this though.
I find it a bit interesting and a little awkward. It could be a problem but if the family is okay with it, then I am too. I just finished reading Lauren Dane’s GIVING CHASE in which the heroine goes from dating one brother (who’s got relationship/commitment issues) to another (who falls head over heels in love with her).
In real life there is a big ICK factor. But in books it’s ok.
Definitely icky in real life, but in books I’m able to accept it.
As others have said, in real life it would be a problem, but not so much in books.
Definitely hits my ick button — especially if the woman is pregnant with the brother’s child. Ewwww! But a good author can make it work for me, as in Jennifer Crusie’s Crazy for You, and another Higgins book, Fools Rush In. (My review said about that, “Higgins handles the issue pretty well, by honestly acknowledging how difficult it is for everyone involved, though I suspect in real life there would be more and stronger undercurrents of feeling.”) Though I know a number of people on GoodReads who wish Higgins would drop this particular theme. 😉
I already own TNBT, so please enter me for the Mayberry.
That is what I love about books, I can explore things I wouldn’t in real life and dating within the family is out for me. I read “The Next Best Thing” and really enjoyed it. Even though it features a heroine who later falls for her widow’s brother, I didn’t focus on that. I focused on their relationship which had its up and downs but it was real and adorable. It also helped that they had a past; they were friends and then friends with benefits. As long as the relationship is believable and the characters interesting, then that is what will count for me.
Lol…my sisters and I have had this discussion in the past and yeah…way to much of an ick factor for me…plus the reality is that non of my sisters husbands would ever interest me in the least, I’m not sure what interested my sisters..lol…
I enjoy reading about this, but can see how it could cause problems in real life.
I can see how it might happen if you didn’t realize they are related, but if I knew they were brothers, no. I can’t imagine dating one brother when the other brother knows how I look naked and act when we make love. However, like the rest of you, I don’t mind reading about it in books. My ex sister-in-law married her brother-in-law after her sister passed away. Her sister had asked her to be there for her children if anything happened to her, so when she passed away, they got married. I figure there had to be a physical pull for both of them though.
I don’t have a problem with it. Love Sarah Mayberry’s books!
In a book I think it is fine. In real life I think it is more difficult because feelings do not change as readily a some would think.
It seems to work better in fiction than in real life.
I have to agree with some of the others. In fiction I don’t mind, but in real life not so much. It definitely would be awkward not to mention weird at family get togethers.
Hadn’t really considered this before. If the previous lover is no longer alive, I don’t think there would be much of an issue. However, I don’t think it would be much of an ego boost for the man if she were sleeping with him just because she missed her husband and using him for a substitute/proxy.
As for dating the brother of someone you previously dated, may be a bit tricky. It would depend on how the first relationship ended whether there would be any major issues. However, if things moved past dating to having sex, I don’t know. I just can’t see my way past that one. I agree with you, it gives me the ickies.
I just finished a book where a similar situation took place but with sisters in the role of the brothers, definitely was a little bit of a wild throw for me. In real life, with a husband that has 4 brothers as well, no way jose! I couldn’t imagine the family gathering. I guess if the previous brother was long gone, bless his soul it might not be too awkward for some. For me it would be.
In a book it’s just a situation to me and part of the story. I accept it and wait to see how things unfold.
I read a book in which the heroine was the victim of an abusive spouse. So when she got together with the better brother who treats her right, I was all for it.
But you are right that if all family members are still in touch & get along it can be a bit awkward.
I don’t think I would at all be comfortable if a guy I dated would hook up with my sister. And I don’t think I would fall for my ex-boyfriends brother. A distant cousin, or an old friend whose not that present in his life anymore maybe, but not too close for comfort .
It doesn’t bother me but I could definitely see why some people would be bother by this.
In fiction I am ok with. But, in real life it would be awkward.
This theme does seem popular in books but it was never one of my favorites. I really like Sarah Mayberry, this book looks really good! Thanks for the giveaway!
It works in fiction where there’s a limited number of characters so it makes sense. In real life though, it’s a bit icky and old-fashioned (man marries brother’s widow to keep her in thee family and out of the streets).
To me it would depend upon how involved the heroine was with each brother. Did one brother introduce her to another or was she intimate with both brothers? There’s a story in both of these situations for sure.
Your book sounds really good.
No brothers for me. I know two sisters in real life that married two brothers – that seems a bit icky and in-bred to me too. One sister got divorced, the other one has to bear the burden of her naughty sister (with the in-laws). I’m not a fan of dating the best friend either – how do you continue to mingle in the same social circles? Of course, like Joye said, it also depends on the level of intimacy – did they just date or was there sex? Just dating is fine…..having sex with one brother then moving on to the next one, yuck!
Ridgways feel-good read with its perfectly integrated extremely hot and well-crafted love scenes is contemporary romance at its best.. Romantic Times named Christies CRUSH ON YOU the Best Contemporary Romance of 2010!
I decided to list my favorites too in the hopes that this might inspire a good conversation about what makes a romance your favorite which genres are you favorites and of course which books I m missing or you ve read that you think should be on the list..Please note with each genre I ve listed only ONE book by each author even though many of these authors have multiple books on my keeper shelves and only ONE book in a series. Julie is absolutely a rising star in romance and I cant wait to read more from her..6- Virgin River by Robyn Carr OK Ill admit it.