guest post by Larissa Ione
Okay, single ladies, raise your hand if you’ve ever seen that tiresome criticism that goes something like this: Single women who read romances will develop unrealistic expectations of men.
Larissa Ione
Ha! And again, ha! Reading romance novels when I was single helped me recognize that no man is perfect (not even those in romance novels) and that I didn’t have to put up with idiots. Unrealistic expectations? Really?
Did I mention the ha?
We women know the men in romance novels are fictional wonderful guys. But in the real world there are also nonfictional wonderful guys. So I was well aware of the fact that I wasn’t going to find Joe Mackenzie from Linda Howard‘s Mackenzie’s Mission while I was in the Air Force, but that didn’t mean I had to put up with jerks, cheaters, abusers or morons.
There were certain things I was going to demand from a man, the same as a good romance heroine does. Things like respect. Like fidelity. Like honesty.
So did reading romance set me up with certain expectations? Maybe. But unrealistic ones? No way. I was in no hurry to get serious or get married, and in the end, I got my own hero who is in no way perfect, but he’s right for me.
So, single ladies, this February treat yourself to a romance novel full of hot guys who ultimately treat their heroines with respect, and know that there are real men like that out there.
For some reason, during the month of February, I’m drawn to contemporary romances, and some of my personal favorite Valentine’s Day re-reads are Mackenzie’s Mountain by Linda Howard, Prince Joe by Suzanne Brockmann, and Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
What about you? Any personal favorite re-reads that remind you that romance novels can be utterly unrealistic while at the same time delivering a real, feel-good read?
Larissa Ione is the author of Immortal Rider (Grand Central), the second book in her Lords of Deliverance series about the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Her next paranormal romance, Lethal Rider, comes out in May 2012. Learn more on her website, larissaione.com.
3 decades ago when I first read romance novels they were full of unrealistic men and damsels in distress. I like the fact that in the romance novels I read now the women are strong and the men usually have at least one flaw. I have so may book series on my TBR list and there are at least 6 authors who have series that I am looking forward to rereading and Larissa’s books are among them.
You’re right, Kathryn…I’ve read so many older romances and have found exactly what you said. There are gems in there, but I definitely think today’s romances feature stronger women and less brutish men. Of course you can still find the good and bad in every genre and every generation of books, but I really love the edgy stuff put out today. Even if it’s not the most realistic, it’s often empowering and definitely entertaining!
For flat out romance I’ll re-read anything Susan Elizabeth Phillips writes. For paranormal romance, in my opinion, no one tops Larissa and Jeaniene Frost! I’ll be spending this month re-reading Susan’s Chicago Stars books, Larissa’s Demonica and Lords of Deliverance, and Jeaniene’s Night Huntress books. And I made sure I can have them with me at all times since I own both paperback and ebook copies of all of them.
Aw, thank you! And I agree with you on SEP! It’s funny, because I don’t usually read contemporary romance, and the premises of her books are definitely not ones I’m drawn to, but I love them anyway. She’s so freaking talented. She could take my most disliked trope and make it my favorite.
My favorite re-read is either “Gone With The Wind” or “The Thorn Birds”
Agree! The Thorn Birds is an all-time favorite of mine, too.
Rereading, anything by Georgette Heyer, although Venetia is my favorite, and most by Roberta Gellis. (Strong heroines? Check out the ladies in her medieval series.) Joan Wolf’s books from the 80′s are still among my favorites for the depth of the characters’ feelings, sexual and otherwise, for one another.
I love modern Regency romances. After reading these novels, it seems like English men are very kind and gentle with women and definitely have gentlemanly manners. I like the more refined regency novels about purely romance and not ones about kidnappings or pirates. Where the men and women wander through their English gardens drinking tea, eating cucumber sandwiches and other delicacies, and stealing stolen kisses in the garden maze. In other words, purely escapist romances.