It's already Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, and the theme this week is likes/ dislikes of romance in books. I've decided to go with dislikes because there are so many I could include and it seems like the more interesting way to go with this post.
Instalove - This seems to be a prominent feature of YA novels and, unfortunately, it still needs saying. Cue the eyeroll, please.
Love triangles, especially when the heroine is indecisive - Same with this. Why must so many YA novels go this route? I don't care to read a 300 page book about trying to choose which astoundingly hot boy you want. Eyeroll, stat!
Characters void of personality/ chemistry - I'm counting this across books with romance in general and specific books. Generally, I like my characters to be well-rounded people and, in regards to the romance aspect, make sense together. I also like to see different characters in books - not the same old recycled collection of tropes.
Repetition - This can be in regards to many aspects of romance in books. Basically, I don't need to be hit over the head with the same thing over and over (and not just with romance).
Disgusting/ awkward/ gross descriptions of love scenes or romantic scenes - Please don't.
Incest - If there are elements of this, I tend to discount it as romance, particularly when the characters know.
Damsel in distress - The male lead doesn't need to "save" the love interest at every turn. I prefer my female characters to be strong and not constantly in need of saving, thank you.
"Not like other girls" - This also seems to be a big one currently in YA and it's just getting old.
Stalkers or bad boys - I don't get the appeal here.
When romance overpowers the rest of the story - Generally speaking, the less romance there is that's all the better in my opinion.
Eyeroll of choice for these particular romance offenses:
So, what do you think of my dislikes when it comes to romance? Do we share any elements?
Ha, gotta love the Tony Stark gif! That's how I feel about a lot of romance (though there's some I like; Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart)...
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that's my exact facial expression as in this gif... :D Usually, I don't go for just romance books. There has to be something else for me to be truly invested. Thanks for visiting my blog!
DeleteWe share the dislike of insta-love, which I don't quite understand. And the lack of personality from any of the parties can get old very fast.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like a slog to get through some books where one person is instantly attracted to the other because....well, the other person is hot. That's gotta to cool at some point and there needs to be something more to it than just "he or she is hot."
Yes, there definitely has to be something else going on between the characters for me, too.
DeleteNot having chemistry is a big one for me too. There has to be some kind of spark, other wise why are they together?
ReplyDeleteVery true! Thanks for stopping by. :)
DeleteI totally agree with the repetition. I get so tired of reading the same things over and over and over again. Originality never hurts.
ReplyDeleteAmanda
Never - I love some originality!
DeleteI actually like love triangles if they're well done. What I hate is when the entire story consists of the girl mooning over two guys. Pick one, or dump both of them, just don't string them along!
ReplyDeleteAlso, hate insta love. Who ever said that love at first sight is romantic? What it really is, is creepy. I shudder to think of how all those Disney movies would play out in real life....
Anyway, great list!
Ally @ The Scribbling Sprite
If they're done well, that's one thing - I agree with you there.
DeleteI know exactly what you mean with Disney there...
Thanks - and thanks for visiting my blog!
Great list. Thanks for visiting our TTT. I have to agree with you on the insta love. Definitely annoying.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and thanks for visiting my blog as well. :)
DeleteI feel like a lot of characters in books with a heavy focus on the romance end up being flat because the author is so focused on telling the romance, he or she forgets to make the characters more than the swoon-worthy male or the most-special female.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know exactly what you mean!
DeleteInsta-love bugs me so badly. One cannot fall truly in love before they actually know someone in my opinion. It creeps me out to tell the truth. Repetition is a good peeve. Romances can get very repetitive, especially when it comes to sighing over said loved one. Great list!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Thanks for dropping by!
DeleteA+ gif choice!
ReplyDeleteThe "not like other girls" thing is really starting to annoy me too. I'm pretty sure that no one's interests are completely unique to them...
Romance overpowering the rest of the story is something I don't like either - depending on the genre.
Nice list! :)
Thank you! :)
DeleteI know - it's getting old.
Incest creeps me out so I try not to think about it. Gross descriptions of love scenes that are supposed to be "hot" just make me want to gag. FAIL. We NEED chemistry in romance, like seriously... Nice post!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Chemistry is definitely needed.
DeleteI tend to be really picky about romance in fiction and you hit the nail right on the head with this list. I really hate the whole YA love triangle route. And the indecisive heroine in the love triangle? Give me a break. I wonder if this trend was inspired by The Hunger Games and/or Twilight? It also really bothers me when romance just chokes up the whole plot, making what could have been an interesting story almost unreadable.
ReplyDeleteHow about if I just say it's all Twilight's fault? Would that be bad? Thanks for commenting. :)
DeleteI'm cool with that - let's just blame it on Twilight, haha! Thanks for visiting my blog as well!
DeleteI have never gotten the bad boy appeal!
ReplyDeleteI know, right!
Delete