What do I want in my romance novel? I’d like to say it’s enough that I get a pleasant escape from the realities of life–a lovely diversion where two people who love each other passionately get their HEA. I’d like to say that’s what I want in my romance books.<\/p>\n
Apparently, it’s not that simple. I’m a picky reader and I know it. I’m very particular about the story that holds my attention. For the most part, I don’t like my genres overlapping. If I’m reading a romance, the story must be about the romance. Other genres shouldn’t\u00a0 try to poke their noses in my romances. Intrigue and suspense must either be absent or play a very limited role in them.<\/p>\n
My hero or heroine must not be in a prolonged state of danger. Which means, I don’t want to spend the entire novel waiting for the other foot to drop and wondering precisely when the ‘bad guy’ will get her\/him. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love a good mystery.\u00a0 As far as I’m concerned, no greater mystery writer ever lived than Agatha Christie<\/strong><\/span>. She’s my hero. To satisfy my need for thriller and suspense, I’m more prone to watch it than to read it. There is something about the visual in those types of stories that translate to the small\u00a0 or big screen better for me–although, I’m certainly not opposed to reading the book if it’s a movie adaptation. Books always tend to be better than the movies they represent.<\/p>\n What do I want? I want sizzling sexual tension and great conflict. A story in which the heroine and hero’s conflict is predominantly external won’t hold my attention. I need their conflict to be internal. I love a romance where the attraction is being fought. I love a romance when the hero has a long long way to fall.\u00a0 I love the ice princess.\u00a0 I love a dark brooding hero with a wry sense of humour. I love having my heart wrenched. I love heat. Lisa Kleypas<\/em><\/span> kind of heat. Linda Howard<\/em><\/span> or Sandra Brown<\/em><\/span> kind of heat when they wrote romances. My hero and heroine can’t cheat on each other after they’ve entered a relationship, although as I study my collection, I see there are exceptions\u00a0 to this rule.<\/p>\n Yes, I’m an author, but I was a reader long before I wrote my first word. I think I started writing because I’m such a picky reader. As the publishing business changed and books became edgier, more plot-driven and less character-driven, I yearned for the romances that made me fall in love with the genre.<\/p>\n What about you? What do you want in your romance novel? Which authors have been consistent in delivering the goods? What do I want in my romance novel? I’d like to say it’s enough that I get a pleasant escape from the realities of life–a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[248],"class_list":["post-2975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-miscellaneous","tag-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\n
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