Here’s how the basic plot goes:
Girl likes guy. Guy kinda likes girl.
Girl thinks they’re completely incompatible together.
One kiss (or almost kiss) followed by an interruption.
Add in a dash of relationship problems: ex-boyfriend and psychological affects, current clingy girlfriend problems, sworn enemies as competition, being work partners, old sweethearts, a hidden past, an older brother, etc.
The main character is sometimes so spineless and ignorant that I want to barf. Somehow she comes off a selfless saint to her male counterpart.
Action. Blah. Blah. Action.
Giving in. Kissing and then the bedroom scene.
Girl wakes up and one, if not both regret last night.
Someone leaves.
Later, a friend tries to convince a character that the reason they’re so sad is because they’re in love.
Action. Let’s throw in some murder threats, too.
Someone gets saved. Character realized something: “I was in love this whole time? I have to tell him/her!”
Making up. Kissing.
Yay! And a happily ever after for everyone.
That’s it. Where did all the originality go? I also hate the tug-and-pull of denial. If you’ve slept with him at least three times already, it’s getting serious. Do something! I don’t want to read a book where she hates the guy in one scene and loves him in the next.
Who wants to help me? Got any out-of-this-world recommendations for lil’ old me? Trust me, I’ve only dipped my toes into the romance world.
The elusive Linda-saurus: @book_ninjaMover and shaker by day, book-ninja by night. Only native to Florida. Afraid of small children but has an affinity to the elderly. Beware of her sarcastic humor.
Categories: discussion, Linda
haha I know exactly what you mean. Ever since I got my kindle, I realize the sex scene usually happens at the 66%-70% mark lol. it's gotten me a lot jaded about the genre. That's why I don't read them as much. I still love romance books though, just not as crazy about them as I used too.
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i agree that romances can be formulaic but i think a lot of things are - books, movies, etc. it's the smaller things within the story that make it more interesting. do you read only contemp romance? i am a fan of historical and paranormal mostly. for paranormal i would suggest larissa ione, nalini singh, and jeaniene frost. they're pretty smutty though so you're warned. for historical, some of my faves are lisa kleypas (wallflowers & hathaways), courtney milan (anything) and sarah maclean. hope you find something you like. :)
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