Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hey thanks these are some good recommendations, I say good because they are close, but not quite right, with all the books that's been recommended so far, they are both equal, but I really do want something where he teaches her to love again, that Banish Misfortune by Anne Stuart sounds close so I'm going to look it up after I type this.
All this does give me another question though? So do women like guys who need fixing or something, because the majority of the romance books are looking to be like that
I once read somewhere that in the Romance genre books by definition have to be constructed inthe following way: 1) the romantic pair meet 2) some kind of conflict pulls them apart 3) conflict is resolved so that the pair can be together(and then there may be further or sub conflicts/resolutions).
Unless a Romance is also a mystery or suspense or gothic or other subgenre which fulfills the requirement for conflict, either the man or the woman (or both) HAVE to have a character problem in order for there to be conflict.
Which is why most Romances have imperfect men (or misunderstandings between the male and female) - so that the conflict can be resolved by by either a change in the male's character or resolution of the misunderstanding.
If both male and female in a non sub-genre Romace have no character flaws there would be no conflict and what would move the storyline forward?
Then the books would become "cozies" - which are simply about the interaction of individual happy/quirky characters - and even those usually have minor flaws or problems which give the books a plot.
Even in Christian fiction the male or female character is "flawed" because they haven't yet accepted Christ (or something along those lines.)
I know, blah blah blah, but I've been thinking about writing a romance.
Hey thanks these are some good recommendations, I say good because they are close, but not quite right, with all the books that's been recommended so far, they are both equal, but I really do want something where he teaches her to love again, that Banish Misfortune by Anne Stuart sounds close so I'm going to look it up after I type this.
All this does give me another question though? So do women like guys who need fixing or something, because the majority of the romance books are looking to be like that
LOL- my first thougt was.....Well don't they all?
Struck my funny bone. Merry Christmas and Happy reading.
Hmm... I guess maybe the thought of finding a man with a few flaws and then having him do for you what he never would for any woman before is part of the fantasy. Because I'm still trying to understand why would women always say they want a great guy, but read books where he is an emotional -rich, but emotional- mess. I get it women like bad boys, so the fantasy of having the power and sexapil to tame this bad boy is great, plus I guess bad boys aren't borring, but...
With all the talent out there why can't a fun adventurous book be writen about a great guy coming into a woman's life? Like I said Graceling was the closes I ever read. All guys don't have issues and aren't emotionally tore, but can still make a woman feel happy everyday that she is with him
Hmm... I guess maybe the thought of finding a man with a few flaws and then having him do for you what he never would for any woman before is part of the fantasy. Because I'm still trying to understand why would women always say they want a great guy, but read books where he is an emotional -rich, but emotional- mess. I get it women like bad boys, so the fantasy of having the power and sexapil to tame this bad boy is great, plus I guess bad boys aren't borring, but...
With all the talent out there why can't a fun adventurous book be writen about a great guy coming into a woman's life? Like I said Graceling was the closes I ever read. All guys don't have issues and aren't emotionally tore, but can still make a woman feel happy everyday that she is with him
There are some. The only one I can think of right now is A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr. The hero is a sweet, normal (sort of normal, anyway) guy, and she's a nice, normal woman who just tries too hard. It's a nice story, with some very good subplots.
And then what? What's the plot? Where's the conflict that moves the plot along?
If the romantic pair solve a mystery together (the conflict), the book is a romantic mystery. There are tons and tons of this type of book - take a look at some written by authors other posters have recommended.
If there are vampires/werewolves/etc. then the book is either a romantic fantasy or OR it is a classic romance (called a paranormal romance) with characters that have flaws - someones a vampire, for goodness sake!
If the romantic pair have a thrilling adventure together (the conflict), the book is a romantic thriller. There aren't very many romantic thrillers. In a thriller if there is a romance it is usually a minor plot point. If a male is going to read a book at all it will probably be a thriller, and male readers don't tend to be relationship readers. Publishers know this.
Romances by definition are about relationships. If there isn't a character problem the conflict could be that there is a misunderstanding between the two great characters. Solving a misunderstanding in order to unite the romantic pair is a fairly common Romance plot. Shakespeare, anyone?
A book about great people with great relationships and no misunderstanding is a Cozy (read Jan Karon.)
Publishing genres have fairly clearly defined structures. You might go onto the writing forum and ask about this.
Are you really asking why women read romances?
Or are you really asking the classic male question about why women seem to prefer rogues to good guys?
[quote=Lily0fthevalley;17158852]In a book a great guy comes into a woman's life.
And then what? What's the plot? Where's the conflict that moves the plot along?
If the romantic pair solve a mystery together (the conflict), the book is a romantic mystery. There are tons and tons of this type of book - take a look at some written by authors other posters have recommended.
If there are vampires/werewolves/etc. then the book is either a romantic fantasy or OR it is a classic romance (called a paranormal romance) with characters that have flaws - someones a vampire, for goodness sake!
If the romantic pair have a thrilling adventure together (the conflict), the book is a romantic thriller. There aren't very many romantic thrillers. In a thriller if there is a romance it is usually a minor plot point. If a male is going to read a book at all it will probably be a thriller, and male readers don't tend to be relationship readers. Publishers know this.
Romances by definition are about relationships. If there isn't a character problem the conflict could be that there is a misunderstanding between the two great characters. Solving a misunderstanding in order to unite the romantic pair is a fairly common Romance plot. Shakespeare, anyone?
A book about great people with great relationships and no misunderstanding is a Cozy (read Jan Karon.)
Publishing genres have fairly clearly defined structures. You might go onto the writing forum and ask about this.
Are you really asking why women read romances?
Or are you really asking the classic male question about why women seem to prefer rogues to good guys?[/quote]
Neither I just wanted a great book with a guy not being a super mancho, but paradoxically a super emotional hero. Yes she may have a few slightly heightened noraml flaws like being afraid to trust a vampire even though he is super attractive -like I said that is normal he's a vampire who sucks blood-, but his flaws... ugh! He is usally super jealous, chauvinist: boarder line a-hole, who can't trust or love again because he has been super hurt and of coarse she is the only one out of literally hundreds and hundred of women he's been with over the past few hundred yes who has been able to heal that heart.
Like I said earlier I get it, romance novels are made for women, but good grief
Neither I just wanted a great book with a guy not being a super mancho, but paradoxically a super emotional hero. Yes she may have a few slightly heightened noraml flaws like being afraid to trust a vampire even though he is super attractive -like I said that is normal he's a vampire who sucks blood-, but his flaws... ugh! He is usally super jealous, chauvinist: boarder line a-hole, who can't trust or love again because he has been super hurt and of coarse she is the only one out of literally hundreds and hundred of women he's been with over the past few hundred yes who has been able to heal that heart.
Like I said earlier I get it, romance novels are made for women, but good grief
A lot of men read romances as well. A lot of the writers are husband/wife teams, a few are man/unrelated woman teams.
I already made my best suggestions, but I'll also add Diana Gabaldon to the writers. The Outlander series is the ultimate historical/contemporary time travel series, IMO. Then there are the paranormal romances by Charlaine Harris (tje TV show True Blood is based on one of them), and a series by Leslie Langtry starting with 'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy.
I just had to add this I finally found the book that has everything I want. Now the sad thing is that I'm reading it sooo slow, because I know when it's over it's over and it took me this long just to find it.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE HELP
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
She is always close to perfect
