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The one book no-no that will turn you off
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Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors
(last edited Jul 20, 2009 12:44PM)
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I am very vanilla about sex scenes in romances. I love romance. I even like very steamy romance. Romance to me involves an emotional commitment that strengthens over the course of the novel. This should always be the focus. I don't get into erotica. If a book is romance, then there should be a line as to where the sensuality won't go. I don't go for sex for sex's sake or kink in a romance novel.
Any anal sex or play (including fingers there). Excuse my bluntness. That's not my cup of tea. I wish books came with warnings. I wouldn't buy it if I knew it was in there.
Adultery/cheating (involving h/h or the couple. I don't even like it when one of them cheated before, but I will tolerate it if it was in the past and they knew it was wrong and it's not brushed off as okay).
Menage (For me in a romance novel, I don't think it has a place. For me, romance is two people.)
A hero who sleeps around with other women during the book. I haven't read any with the heroine doing that, but I'd feel the same way.
The hero being cruel to the heroine during sex. Thus, BDSM clearly is not my thing. It turns my stomach. I don't want him calling her ugly names during sex or forcing her into doing things. I don't want him making her feel dirty or low down or humiliating her. That is not sexy to me. I feel sick when I see this in what is supposed to be a loving relationship in a romance novel.
Promiscuous characters or characters who have 'sleazy' sexual habits. It's a wall-banger for me. (Again I don't care what anyone does in their personal life. I am talking about what I will tolerate in a book I am reading). If the person was promiscuous earlier in their life, I want to see this addressed and for them to learn from it, and to move onto a committed relationship where sexual intimacy with the right person has value to them.
I don't like it when there is a person in the relationship who is severely bullying or putting down the other person. I don't mind if the hero is on the cruel side as long as the heroine can stand her ground, or if he does realize he is wrong and it's very clear that he makes amends. I don't want him getting off easy for that. The same would go for a heroine. I read a book recently where the heroine got on my nerves because she was so alpha. She got away with treating the hero pretty bad, and he tolerated it out of love, but she almost broke up with him when he made a decision out of love to protect her. It was such a big deal, but her treatment was glossed over. I didn't like that aspect of the book. I'm not a fan of double standards.
I would prefer that the story be politically neutral (it just brings a bad vibe when there is some obvious political leaning in a book).
I really, really hate a lot of bickering between the hero and heroine. It annoys me. I don't mind if they have some relationship issues, but deal with them and move on. Don't do the merry-go round, with bouts of sex in between. That is not a healthy relationship.
I don't want to see the character go from man to man (or woman to woman) in successive books if it's a series. I want them to stay with the same person.
Those are probably my few no-nos. I like flawed characters and I can tolerate a lot of flaws in a character when the book is well-written and there is growth and healing of the characters. There are a couple of things that are not my personal preference that I don't want to get into because everyone has their own beliefs.
Mod
1. Detailed sex: Nasty talk
2. Same sex
3. Adultery
4. Cheating
5. Weaklings: (Heroine or Hero)
6. Threesomes, etc.
I don't like erotic stories.
I think you guys covered most of my turn-offs in a book, except I don't mind an unsympathetic character as long as their flaws are realistic and their character's developed, etc. I also don't mind a little kink. LOL. ;)I don't like menage, however. Or one-sided relationships, h/h sleeping around, bickering (!!!), one-dimensional characters, and shrews, LOL. That covers it.
I can't stand romances were the hero/heroines constantly jump to conclusions and blow things out of proportion. This creates unnecessary drama and gets old real quick if done frequently. I also can't stand over the top stereotypes of different racial groups. Especially when the black woman is portrayed as angry or always having an attitude with the swiveling neck. I mean come on now.
I don't like BDSM at all, but I do read erotica...even a little menage depending on the storyline and characters.
I cannot stand stories with weak females that allow their families and friends to run their lives.
Cheating heroes/heroines will turn me off quick. This leads into my dislike of stories where one of the main leads is torn between two loves until they end up 'choosing' at the end. Too much like cheating to me.
I must have an HEA. I once ordered a book from Amazon and did one of my infamous skimming of the last pages. The hero was actually killed in the end! I have yet to read that book and probably never will.
Loni wrote: "I can't stand romances were the hero/heroines constantly jump to conclusions and blow things out of proportion. This creates unnecessary drama and gets old real quick if done frequently. I also..."
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i feel you about the HEA...I HAVE to have that...especially since in real life so many women don't get that...
i hate the jumping to conclusions thing
while i like erotica (smile being that i write it) i am not into bdsm...although i've read some books categorized thusly that really amazed me...they were nothign like i thought they'd be...
cheating is an out for me too
Eugenia wrote: "The sex scene in a paragraph, don't hype it all up and then have the scene in paragraph, "they go in, shut the door and she emerges smiling" unh uh, that's a no-no. I'd rather them have not have se..."smile...feel you on that
Danielle wrote: "**I just want to make it clear, there are my personal opinions about what I won't tolerate in a romance novel. I am not judging anyone's lifestyle or how they choose to live their life or conduct t..."you have to know what you like and what you don't...doesn't make you a prude...it makes you in touch with your own wants/needs/and can't stands...i like decisiveness in peeps...even when they don't agree with me...it's why i still let mr me hang around..smile
Eugenia wrote: "I love erotica, can do menage too but they have to have some kind of connection. Something has connect these people in love, because I've seen some good erotic stories with love that center, romanc..."i like GOOD menage where they have a connection and start off as a couple...not some kind of relationship where they simply decide to roll out and get another person.
I do not like 3 people having sex, cheating, foolish people and foolishness(allowing people to run your relationships)Anal sex is a bloody mess, heck fingers in your anus is a mess!!!
I don't like man or woman whores!!!
what does being vanilla mean?
Sharon wrote: "I do not like 3 people having sex, cheating, foolish people and foolishness(allowing people to run your relationships)Anal sex is a bloody mess, heck fingers in your anus is a mess!!!
I don't li..."
being vanilla has a different meaning depending upon context...
when someone says you have vanilla sex...it is basic, no frills sex...think missionary position, saturday nights in the dark under the covers.
when someone describes me as black vanilla it is meant as an opposite of white chocolate...whereas white individuals described as white chocolate are considered to have more soul etc black individuals called black vanilla is a nod to their conservatism (generally political)
Jeanieandjayha wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I do not like "Ahh ok thanks :)
Sharon wrote: "Jeanieandjayha wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I do not like "Ahh ok thanks :)"
yw..
message 14:
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Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors
(last edited Jul 20, 2009 06:03PM)
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Ahh ok thanks :)"
Vanilla sex to me is no toys, extras, kink, etc. Just plain old sex (oral, vaginal, two people).
Mod
Danielle wrote: "I agree with you all about the HEA. It's not romance without one. The same thing happened to me, Loni. I bought a book on Amazon.com that was IR. The Black heroine was dying of cancer, but she ende..."OMG ... da he** is that? i would've been heated...straight heated abotu that...
and another thing that i loathe is the identical twin no one knew about coming in and mucking things up...grr.
Danielle wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Jeanieandjayha wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I do not like "Ahh ok thanks :)"
Vanilla sex to me is no toys, extras, kink, etc. Just plain old sex (oral, vaginal, two people). "
I had never heard the term before...interesting I am so sheltered
Danielle wrote: "I agree with you all about the HEA. It's not romance without one. The same thing happened to me, Loni. I bought a book on Amazon.com that was IR. The Black heroine was dying of cancer, but she ende..."What? why would you do that?
I like happy endings
Sharon wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Jeanieandjayha wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I do not like "Ahh ok thanks :)"
Vanilla sex to me is no toys, extras, kink, etc. Just plain old sex (oral, vaginal, two peo..."
my first book (the first book in the wild, wild series) apparently got many complaints because of its vanilla sex...and peeps also thought the heroine was mean just b/c she wasn't taking any mess...
when writing IR we are right particular about how we portray a woman of color with a white male...our characters are not ghetto/hoochie etc...they don't need a male to swoop in and save them...they do their own thing and many readers got offended b/c they are accustomed to different kind of heroines...
ah well...
but regardless, that is somethign that neither j nor i will change...some of our books can be described as vanilla, some are highly erotic...but we find it is the love b/t the couple that makes it so wonderful.
Jeanieandjayha wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Jeanieandjayha wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I do not like "Ahh ok thanks :)"
Vanilla sex to me is no toys, extras, kink, etc. Just plain old sex (ora..."
I have your wild, wild series stories. They cracked me up.
Sharon wrote: "I do not like 3 people having sex, cheating, foolish people and foolishness(allowing people to run your relationships)Anal sex is a bloody mess, heck fingers in your anus is a mess!!!
I don't li..."
LOL! I only get really grossed out when they talk about licking the rectum. yucky-yuck
Mod
I was very mad. That was before I wrote Amazon reviews. I probably would have wrote a baddie one.
message 24:
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Danielle The Book Huntress , Sees Love in All Colors
(last edited Jul 20, 2009 06:33PM)
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OMG, I would kill my spouse/hubby if he let his identical twin surprise me like that. Instant divorce, the permanent kind. As a matter of fact, I refuse to get involved with or marry a twin (making a mental note). Yeeesh!
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No clue why the author did that.
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The one thing that turns me off from any romance is the "back flash" into the past. I hate those. To me it just confuses the story.
LOL. Danielle, maybe we need to trade. I come across a lot of romance that's plain old sex, LOL.
Danielle wrote: "That's what I loved about Twilight. It was a beautiful love story and the sex wasn't needed. You knew that when they do come together it will be beautiful. "I do love the sweet romances as well. I've read some that have almost made me cry. Now I did say almost because I can be a bit cynical if the story gives me a tooth ache.
Loni wrote: "Danielle wrote: "That's what I loved about Twilight. It was a beautiful love story and the sex wasn't needed. You knew that when they do come together it will be beautiful. "I do love the swee..."
may i plug here...for a sweet IR romance...no sex but lots of intimacy...THE WILD, WILD NOTHING LESS: VICTORIOUS.
and it has a bonus romance in the middle.
i really appreciate this input...it's good to know what readers like and dislike...though i am a writer i am also a reader...love the conversations here...just love them.
Danielle wrote: "Jeanieandjayha wrote: "and another thing that i loathe is the identical twin no one knew about coming in and mucking things up...grr."OMG, I would kill my spouse/hubby if he let his identical t..."
I don't mind him having an identical twin..or one popping up...he couldn't help that
But you guys don't mean the twin sleeping with the wife right?
I could cut him!!
I read this one book where the guy on the cover looked bi-racial but there was nothing in the story that said what he was.
The story gave a description of him but never said he was white, black, bi-racial or what. But, the guy on the cover looked bi-racial.
dreamwild1985 wrote: "Debbie wrote: "I read this one book where the guy on the cover looked bi-racial but there was nothing in the story that said what he was."ahh, the misleading cover - another annoyance."
Yeah, don't get me started on covers even though I'm the one who brought it up LOL.
Mod
A tall, dark and handsome hero can be any race. Freckles on the nose can be worn by black women too.
Debbie wrote: "dreamwild1985 wrote: "Debbie wrote: "I read this one book where the guy on the cover looked bi-racial but there was nothing in the story that said what he was."ahh, the misleading cover - another..."
I know what you mean. I'm not familiar with the process when it comes to choosing book covers, but I can't stand it if the people on the cover don't even come close to the character descriptions. I like visuals.
I can definitely relate. Like I said...I like visuals!
Eugenia wrote: "Loni wrote: "I can definitely relate. Like I said...I like visuals!"Yea, Loni I'm very visual too. I guess that's why I love beautiful men, LOL. That one in your picture sure looks mighty nice. "
He is pretty, huh. ;) That's David Gandy, sexy male model extraordinaire. yum-yum
My book peeves include:- H/H argue throughout the whole book and suddenly all is forgiven and are in love in the last couple of pages. I need the journey to be as wonderful as the destination.
- A sequel that messes up a previously HEA couple. Once a couple have a HEA from their own book, they are supposed to be forever happy. You can't mess them up in a sequel. Now I don't mind if an author decides to create some conflict and allow the couple to come out in the end with an even more solid HEA. That is fine, but don't kill off a hero or heroine from a previous book (I'm looking at you Sandra Brown) or break a previous HEA couple up all together. That taints my enjoyment of the previous book.
- I like a good erotica. But hard core BDSM is a deal breaker. Also, while I don't mind a sexy, tasteful menage, you lose me when you start bringing in more than three. Just no.
I like a good-looking cover, and I think that makes a writer's job to market his or her story much easier, but for me, I usually ignore the appearance of the guy on the cover and make up my own, LOL.
Mod
I don't like sexual violence sold as "her lips said no but she really meant yes" and then they run off into the sunset. If something as heavy as this is brought up, I would like to see it be dealt with in a realistic manner (I've read an excellent book recently that touched upon something like this).
I don't like characters that don't change throughout the story and are the same way they started out on. And characters that run around a lot (notch partners, I call it lol) I don't really like.
Basically what Danielle and Arch said lol.
Maya mentioned a good one, too. When the characters aren't described. That kinda bugs because I want to have a picture painted for me to bring me into the story.
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That's why I read a lot of series romances, because they do have a storyline and maybe just a little sex, if anything.
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I do love the swee..."
Loni I try to pick the books out pretty carefully, because some of the books are likely to be sappy and not sweet. But sometimes I get so sick of lets get it on type storylines, I'd rather read a borderline sappy romance than that.
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I do ..."
Thanks, Jeanineandjayha, I appreciate any plugs you can give me since you know what I'm not looking for in a romance. I think I already added this to my wish list. Any more that are good romances that aren't erotic of yours?
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OMG, I would kill my spouse/hubby if he let ..."
That's what I'm talking about. I don't care if he's a twin as long as the twin (of my husband) is not the one in bed with me. Yuck!!!!
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ahh, the misleading cover - another..."
Debbie I feel you. I hate that!
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Ooh, I'd like to know any titles as well. :-D
for instance, adultery in an erotic tale...don't suck me in and have me crushing on the hero and heroine and then reveal one of them is married...that ish is so not cute for me and just kills the story...if there is messing around let me know from jump so i don't waste my time reading it...i don't care how good the writing is, that is simply not a story i like.
i also hate it when the author takes me on a ride about 300 pages long and jacks up the whole story for me in the last twenty pages...da **** is that? once an author does that i can no longer trust them.
and i also hate it when authors casually toss around 'rape' like a fantasy or something...instant turn off...
but as i said i am conservative on certain subjects...
so what are instant turn offs for you guys?