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Fill in the blank below and answer question. You can have multiple answers.
The topic that most interests me most in a romance is:
A) the HEROINE. Why? Is it to see her growth from point A to point B? Any example? For example, Keri Arthur's Riley Jansen series--the way the heroine handles her changes in power and perspective as a dhampire.
or
B) Forget the heroine. It's the HERO that interests you. Why? Is it the fascination of watching the fantasy man falling in love? Is it the male POV? Is it the show of "maleness" that's important to you? For example, Lora Leigh's men work for me but some of Suzanne Brockmann's don't (esp. those that valley talk, heh).
or
C) Not really. You're more into PLOT. Why? Because if there is no plot, just talk talk talk, you fall asleep. You need 'scenery' and 'meat,' such as The Lymond Chronicles or Gabaldon's timetravel saga; you need to be "in" the era/period. Historicals about tons and balls in regency with bored rakes don't interest you, but you love something from a Kinsale or a Hunter.
or
D) Meh. You're just in it for the SEX. Sexy scenes and lots of sweaty sex. The buildup of the sexual tension then the payoff. Even if the hero is compelling and the heroine extraordinary, you're just not interested if everything is all tell and no show, and worse, the relationship goes nowhere. You must have da Secks! ;-) Example: Let's JD Robb puts Roarke in the background, without the hawtness, but a good partner to Eve's crime-solving, short tempered personality. Would you buy all 20plus books? Example of all sex all the time: LKH's Anita Blake after Book #10. Example of readers (that would be YOU, if you pick this option) complaining the lack of sexual tension and relationshippy stuff: Linda Howard's latest two hardcover "romantic" suspense.
E) Nonononono. The most important thing to you is no intrusion of reality. So, let's say, no bad words (using certain cusswords bother you, so the Navy SEAL better NOT say g*dd*mmit!), no intrusion of reality (like torture, rape, depressing stuff that's NOT what romance is about) so often than not, you deliberately pick stories with Navy SEALs that are on holiday, Spec Ops guys that happened to be sent as bodyguards for starlets, a spy or navy SEAL who's returning home to his smalltown to recuperate from injuries and has to solve the mystery of some murdered aunt, in fact, any stories with a man in uniform who must not soil that uniform with violence ;-).
or
F) Shut up, guys. The most important thing is the DIALOGUE. No banter, no stimulating conversation, no interest on your part. For example, the cruel Alpha must be at his most cruel, so he can wring hate from you. The sad heroine must be at her saddest, so you can cry along. The irritating sister/beotch must be at her bitchiness, so you scream at the book. In fact, your reading enjoyment lives and dies from DIALOGUE. The plot could be so-so or not even there as long as the characters draw you into their conumdrum. Example: some of Anne Stuart's old Harlequin Americans (usually with strange hero that appears to be nothing other than be mysterious, heroine who is a messy doormat, and the bitchiest relatives known to womankind) or Elizabeth Lowell's old categoricals (usually with heroines that would either make you gnash your teeth over their pain and damagedness and heros that you want to rip their hearts out for their callousness, but oh you keep reading anyway because the DIALOGUE, the DIALOGUE....)
or
G) You read for the SOULMATES thing. Destined souls. That's why you love timetravels and quite a number of paranormals (Christine Feehan comes to mind). You love it even more if there is a "binding" thing, magical sex that let the characters have their own secret dialogue (Christine Feehan comes to mind). You especially dislike stories with second loves, dead first wives, or divorced heroes/heroines. Some of you even have the Virgin Rule. :smile: Your heroine is even better if she's a virgin. That makes the SOULMATE theme even better. Heroes, heh, seem to be exempted from this rule.
or
H) None of the above. In which case, you will have to fill in the blank and tell me why, with examples!
Now look at your bookshelves and tell me whether your answers reflect your reading habits. And all done in fun, 'kay, so I'm not judging you or anything.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Uber Test
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5 comments:
Hey Jenna, long time eh?
Great questions!
Since all of the questions are valid for me, I'll answer to all of them LOL
a. I like the heroine to have personality traits similar to mine. No wussies or whiners LOL But a sense of humor and the ability to slap down her alpha-male is vital!
b. The hero is very important! I too love Lora Leigh's men because they are SO bad-ass! I especially love the ones who know how to talk to a woman, "dirty" talk is very hot to me! Rick Harden is a great example of a man who can really let it all hang out, YUM!
c. I have to have plot, and a believable one. Even if the story has an unbelievable plot, wether it's vampires, were's, or whatever; the author has to be able to make it real for me. Nothing worse than reading about a situation and ending up rolling your eyes and thinking "Yeah right." I don't care if it's a futuristic, historical, time-travel, or mystery/suspense/contemp. I just have to believe it.
d. Sex is great if well written, and I have no problem with there being a LOT of it :)I love JD Robb, but I also inhale every LKH like there is no tomorrow! I just need the connection with the characters, and in MOST cases I like a lot of tension to build up before hand, if it's right I can go without a ton of sex-scenes.
e. I'm not bothered by language if it is appropriate to the situation, for example; a debutante saying "f**k in a historical isn't going to fly LOL But a SEAL saying it is true to life... Heh! Violence is life no matter the era, so that doesn't usually bother me either. Reading about a rape sucks, but sometimes it's an essential part of the story behind the story. Of course I want the hero (or heroine sometimes) to show up in the nick of time and save the day!
f. Dialogue is vital, I have to feel like the H/H are falling in love, and raw sex usually doesn't convey that feeling. If the alpha is an ass ALL the time, then where does the love come from?
g. Soulmates are good, but virginity in most modern stories isn't realistic. I think we all know all too well how things can happen. LOL! And of course the hero is exempt, he has to know how to drive the heroine wild so she'll weaken LMAO
I hope this helps, although it may have been a bit more than you would have liked, I can't hide my POV very well LOL
Thank you for saving me all that typing time! I agree with Aimee on everything she wrote especially strong heroines, believeable plotlines and language. The sex is fun too but it seems there is a lot of just jumping into it which makes it less believeable for me, not being the type to jump into bed five minutes after meeting someone (need at least ten ;).
a) Yay on strong heroine. B/c who wants to deal w/Whiny McWhiner aka Meredith Grey?
b) I NEED an alpha male b/c I've lived and worked w/too many metrosexuals. A man needs to be a freaking man already.
c) Good plot helps, but even a bad plot can be saved with strong characters (e.g., L. Howard's Cover of Night--BAD plot, but the relationship btw the twins and the strong heroine made up for some of it)
d) Sex is good, but there's gotta be a point to it. S. Laurens does this really well using it to develop the characters.
e) All military guys curse. Just about everyone curses these days. Fact of life. Hate SEAL protecting starlet plotline b/c why would covert ops guys be sent to protect FAMOUS ppl who'd be on camera? That doesn't make sense. Also recuping SEAL story sucks. Besides, the YAY of SEAL books is the action part where they use all that military lingo and use their uber weapons to blast away the bad guys in a BLAZE OF GLORY!
f) Dialogue UBER important. That's why one of my faves of all time is L. Howard's Mr. Perfect. Dialogue between Jaine & Sam just too funny. Plus, the dialogue isn't too much. Some of E. Lowell's stuff just too wordy. It's not believable b/c who really talks about their emotions like that? Other than soap operas. Romance is fantasy, but not THAT far into the ether please.
I'd offer up more stuff, but I'm in the midst of moving and all my books have gone into the pretty cardboard box marked books. Which is precarious balanced under the LARGER box marked shoes. I have a LOT of shoes. Who knew I could squeeze so much stuff into an 8 x 8 room?
What I need in a romance?
1) Interesting heroines - could be the quirky ladies in the Amanda Quick's earlier work or the fragile/vulnerable yet strong women in Elizabeth Lowell's books or JD Robb's Eve. Interesting hero doesn't hurt either. I love Roarke and Cherry Adair's T-Flac operatives.
2) Clever/witty dialogue to keep things engaging. To me, this can even save an otherwise boring book. Eg. Sabrina Jeffries' Royal Brotherhood series and Jayne Ann Krentz.
3) Story or plot is essential. Flat stories with no development don't work for me. Case in point, the last couple of Anita Blake books. Too much focus on sex and endless talk of... what I don't even recall now. I'll re-read books 1 to 6 anytime but I don't buy her books anymore.
Similarly, if it's a suspense, I want to be at the edge of my seat and if it's murder, I don't want to figure who the killer is before I reach half the book.
4) Hot sex is good but not vital.
Hi Aimee,
So you're saying you can't just pick one? ;-) Where have you been, girl? Missed ya. And, you missed lots of beautiful Gerry Butler videos/pics!
Thanks, Kim and SQ (happy moving!), for your input. I guess all the elements I stated are important to you in a romance book, huh? For myself, it's the Hero's POV. I need it. If it's done wrong, I hate the book.
Hi Fanciful Fern,
I forgive the author a lot more easier if I don't fancy her heroines. That's why I keep reading Anne Stuart ;-P. Not into her heroines at all. The dialogue is important for me too; it's the magic between the couple. As for sex, it must be hot for me. Tepid slot A into Peg B sexual instruction manual bores me to death. Skip, skip, skip.
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