Why do you like reading Harlequin Presents?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I like reading them because they are cathartic. I love all the drama and angst. They are nothing like my life, so I can get immersed in the crazy world of these books and relax from everyday stresses. I like the crazy storylines with revenge, forced marriage, I hate your family so I'll take you stuff going on.

Sometimes the overbearing, sexist heroes get on my nerves, and the heroines tend to put up with too much. I wish that every hero didn't have to be Italian, Greek, or Latin, and a billionaire. But I've been hooked on these books for most of my life. Love 'em, warts and all.

[Harlequin Books]

I'd be really interested to hear what everyone answers are to this question. Part of what I do here on goodreads is share what our readers like and dislike about the books we publish. I would love to be able to share why you like reading the HP's so much.

Speaking personally, I love reading them because they are a quick, enjoyable read that can take me all over the world. I've been reading them since the late 80's when I picked a book off from the shelf at a home I was babysitting at. I was hooked on romance after that so the Presents line has a special spot in my heart. :)

[Bella]

I like to read historical or paranormal romance... But late at night I just want to curl up with an HP or Silouette Desire just as an escape. I'm a 30something stay at home mom who spends her days changing diapers and carpooling. I love that I can stay home with my children when they are young, but look forward to going back to work some day. HP and SD's help me escape from the daily routine and bring me to exotic locales, or lifestyles that I only dream about. I'm happy with my life, but it is fun to imagine how it could be different. For me the romance in the story is oftentimes secondary to the lifestyles of the heroes and heroines involved. I do enjoy contemporary romances, but often if their lives seem too close to what I could have myself I relate too much to the characters - a pet peeve in a book for me. I would rather my contemporaries to be in lifestyles that are not so close to my own. I think the only exception would be the Love Inspireds... which I read for different purposes all together. Did I confuse you much?

[Harlequin Books]

LOL not at all. I'm a stay at home mom also so I understand your reading desires. :) I have different books in each room of the house and your answer made me realise that a lot of my reading habits match yours. The shorter HP's and SD's are upstairs but the longer Historicals and Nocturnes/Lunas are downstairs. Sometime I need that extra special escape to worlds that could never be my own.

[willaful]

I'm a drama junkie.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I love the HP-style drama.

[Jacqueline J]

I've read HPs for years since just a few years after they first started coming out. I started reading them in the mide 70s when I was 14 or 15. I know I have some very low numbered ones. I've gone through stages where I didn't read them so much and I read a wide range of genres both in other types of romance and sci fi and mystery etc. So sometimes I'm totally into those books.

But I do love HPs for the drama and angst. Usually in HPs the more angsty the better for me. But...the plot has got to make sense and not be too thin. I like to know it's only going to take me an hour or so to read one and so I'll pick one up late in the evening when there really isn't time to start something longer and I know I'll get my romance fix. I also pick them up when I just want that romance hit. Don't bother me with the hero and heroine trying to save the world or solve a mystery, and I'm in a just want the love stuff mood.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I know what you mean, Jacqueline. I'm jealous of your vintage HP collection. :)

[Jacqueline J]

You know I have been going crazy lately looking for some I know I have. I think I misplaced a box of books when I moved a few years ago. I still haven't unpacked all the boxes. I'm going to be so mad if I've lost some of my old favorite HPs. I keep thinking I want to reread that. Where the heck is it?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I have that issue with some of my books. They seem to fall into another dimension! :(

[Lynsey A]

Jacqueline wrote: "You know I have been going crazy lately looking for some I know I have. I think I misplaced a box of books when I moved a few years ago. I still haven't unpacked all the boxes. I'm going to be s..."

Bummer, Jacqueline! Hope you find it! I soooo regret giving away my HP collection of many years ago. I was trying to free up space and now I'm just sad.

@Harlequin Books - I like the escapism quality of these books. I'll never meet a shiekh or a billionaire or travel the world so I like to experience it through the HP books. I like the drama too.

[Sandra]

I like reading them because they are glamorous and dramatic. They are a bit "over the top" sometimes but that's what makes them different and special. And fun to read! I like alot of the heroes, even though I agree that some can be overbearing.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I like the over-the-top, fantastically dramatic element. The heroes are something else. I find myself wanting to slap a fair amount of them at first, but they usually come around.

[Lemon]

Escapism, escapism, escapism. I read them for the fantasy element. Where else are you going to find the combination of digustingly good looks, disgustingly over the top wealth, disgustingly unrealistic success and power and total and complete love all in the same place? It's the Cinderalla syndrome. Every girl, no matter how modern and liberated she may be, no matter how old she may be, no matter how accomplished she may be, whether more educated or less educated, wealthy or less wealthy, married or single, whether feminist or not and whether she admits it or not, dreams about being swept off her feet and loved and protected by Prince Charming! Unfortunately, Prince Charming doesn't exist in the dimension I inhabit so I have to cross into the twelfth dimension of HP Land to find him.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I have to agree with you on that, Lululemon.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

This video is by a HP fan on Smart B!tches. She says it well about HPs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUgD69...

[Lynsey A]

It was nicely put. :)

[Kate]

Thanks for sharing that video! Now I just want to take a bubble bath a read.

For me, HPs are pure escapism. For just a few bucks, I get to go to far away places and dream of private jets and jewelry and designer clothes.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I love the escapism factor too, Kate.

[3meg]

I agree with pretty much everything said...i have been reading them since my teens(mid-80's) and it's the Hero's all the way. I love the total Alpha male thing they have going on. If I met one in real life I would think he was a total pig, but man do I love reading about them! I hate how helpless most of the heriones seem, but again that's what makes it fun-there not like me at all! and I have really enjoyed being able to talk about them here as it seems like I don't know many people that admit to reading them.

[Lemon]

Agree, agree, agree!! Those alpha males are so much more pleasant in HP Land. I am in contact with many such alpha male prototypes in my line of work and let me tell ya, they ain't very pleasant human beings in real life. Not to mention that they are not nearly as good looking! I'll stick with my fantasy alpha males any day.

Megan- I am a closet HP fan!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I don't meet too many positive alpha types in real life. My friend is a closet alpha, however. He doesn't seem like it, but the more time you spend around him, the more obvious it is. :)

[Kate]

I find the concept of a closet alpha very interesting! It seems almost contrary to being an alpha, but I can totally think of some examples from my own life.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

It confounded me at first, because he's very low key, but my sister and I agree that he has very consistent alpha traits.

[Lemon]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "It confounded me at first, because he's very low key, but my sister and I agree that he has very consistent alpha traits."

A wolf in sheep's clothing! They should use the closet alpha male (the "CAM") concept as a new breed of hero in HPs, Danielle. Any HP editors out there reading this?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Harlequin Presents are my crack!]

I would love to see more CAMs in HP books/romance in general. :)