DO mills and boon/harlequins happen for real/?

[zuba]

Hey guys... yeah so im a HUGE Harlequin fan :)))) ;)

But do u guys think stuff like this happens ... So much passion, angst HEA... BLINDLY IN LOVE ,, JEALOUSLYoooh
and suchh awesome AWESOME sex
and are there guys as brooding , alpha and crazy as these books potray
WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE THINK ?

[willaful]

Very little in Harlequin Presents reads like real life to me. I have, however, encountered several real life instances of "secret babies." One of my friends never did inform the father and still feels completely justified in her decision.

[Asteropê]

Yeah, I'm going to say that the chances of Harlequin romances playing out in real life are nearly non-existent.

I mean, sure there's the Kate & William thing, where she was a commoner who married a prince, but that's really rare. Plus, at least with royalty, there's not a lot of them and many are well, not the hot alpha males portrayed in the books.

The stuff in the Sheikh books, while I love the trope, they're not at all realistic and how men and women interact in the Middle East. I wish there was more of a balance in things, a little bit more realism in the characters. I know the're set in fake countries, but still. They gloss over so much! So would anything like the Sheikh books ever happen -- western woman with a Sheikh (which is often a form of royalty)? Seriously doubt it! It's a nice fantasy though. Though a romance between an average Middle Eastern guy to a western woman, that is totally possible and occurs all the time. HQN could write it, but it wouldn't be as glamorous, I guess without the billionaire status or ties to royalty.

Also, I'd say in most of the corporate set blackmail/revenge/forced mistress plots, the woman wouldn't agree to have sex with the hero, she'd file a lawsuit for sexual harassment! (I would, that's for sure, even if the guy was hot as can be). That behavior wouldn't fly in most cases.

I will say that arranged marriages are one aspect of HQN books that do happen in many parts of the world, though they're not to billionaires, princes and guys like that. Most that have arranged marriages are probably to an average guy, rather than a hero of a HQN book. I'm talking about couples in India and other places, where this is really common practice. This HQN India book actually goes into this in a modest way: Take One Arranged Marriage...

And like Willa said, secret babies can and do occur, for various reasons.

So, I think small parts of HQN plots can occur, the totality of them not so much. The odds that these things happening to a woman are nearly non-existent. LOL.

[Samantha]

willaful wrote: "Very little in Harlequin Presents reads like real life to me. I have, however, encountered several real life instances of "secret babies." One of my friends never did inform the father and still fe..."

I agree, willaful. That secret baby thing can be real and I know people who have kept it hush.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I can see the friends growing up together as children being realistic enough and can happen. Also the guy next door thing. Take away the rich aspect of it. The quick baby thing is realistic enough to some people's horror lol

[zuba]

I know one instance where the girl and the guy broke up due to some misunderstanding. So when the guy's parents arranged his marriage to another girl and he went over to see her, he realized he couldn't live without his ex-gf. He walked out called her up and asked her to marry him.
Well though he wasn't really an alpha but rich enough yeah :))

[zuba]

I do wonder if the Alpha hero's, all dark and dominating and brooding do exist in reality.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Gul wrote: "I do wonder if the Alpha hero's, all dark and dominating and brooding do exist in reality."

Unfortunately I do think they were more common in older types. There's been a lot of female/male role changes in society over the years.

[Pam]

I feel some part of the story is true! Be it the idea or the moral or the action of some character. The rest pure enjoyable fantasy.

I just read "Wanted Mistress and Mother" by Carol Marinelli the Hero's daughter is Autistic, the heroine creates healing gardens. He employs the heroine to build a garden for the Autistic child. The garden calms and soothes her, which she had been having uncontrollable fits. In reality gardens are used in this manner for children with Autism. Also the knowledge that a scent can be a catalyst to unwanted behavior in children with Autism is so real. The Heroine realizes this is a cause of the young girl fits. Now the other parts of the story nice fantasy.

[Pam]

REALITY IS STANGER THEN FICTION

I read a book called "Inherited:One Nanny" by Emma Darcy.
It is a wonderful book IMHO. I thought is was funny.
Now to the odd part. The Heroine in the story has no real memory of who she was a child. She had no birth certificate or last name. The reason, the heroine had grown up in a cult. When I first read it I thought really? And that it was a really out there reason but it is a HP and full of Fantasy right? Of course we read about or see this type situation on the news thinking how unreal that is. WELL not so far fetched, this year I received (two weeks before school was out) a young lady about 15yrs old in my reading class in this situation. I was astounded. Her older sister had ran away a couple years ago and finally kidnapped her sister from the cult. She was quiet,frightened, and barely said a word. Her academic skills were that of a 2nd or 3rd grade. The HS I teach at is huge 3000 kids, she was so lost. My heart just felt so sad for her.

I had to find that book and reread it. This time with a totally different perspective.

[Xai Xai]

I have known a few Alphas but the arrogance is highly unappealing. There are sexy gorgeous men but with a heart of Gold that I doubt very much. You do find the characteristics of the hero in life but never in one package I live in the Caribbean and you can find the Romantic destinations for sure but only with your hero. I did find my H who is 13 years older than me(h).When we first met it was war, we hated each other. As cruel as life was at the time, we were forced to work together. Then the coldness thaw between us, it wasn't instantaneous sizzling and passionate. That developed later on, we became fast friends, he made me laugh all the time and he still does....he is handsome but not the over 6ft hunk look but he is sensitive to my feelings and he does treat me like a queen. so my dear romance and love stories do exist but it has to be created between two people! Trust me the heartache can be worst than what you read in romances. However there is someone out there for everyone because we were all created in pairs