First things, first, Happy New Year to all of you!
Because I’m slightly hung over from the festivities of yesterday evening, I can’t be arsed blogging about anything deep and meaningful, and writing an outstanding review is way beyond me at the mo, so I’ll just blatantly steal one of Anne Marble’s most recent topics on the All About Romance list. She writes:
What do you think about love scenes in general? Do you look forward to them most of the time? Or have you become jaded? Does it depend on the writer?
Also, what works for you in a love scene? Please entertain us with specific examples. What *doesn’t* work for you in a love scene? Many readers have admitted to skipping or skimming the love scenes. If this is true, do you do it with all authors, or only some? What can make you skip a love scene — quantity or quality? 😉
What would you like to see more often in love scenes? This doesn’t have to be something naughty. It can be something like a different attitude from the characters or more dialogue (or less).
I love sex in books. I do. I wouldn’t read erotic romance books if I didn’t, and anybody who says otherwise is just plain lying.
Having said that, I must confess to skipping sex scenes from time time. Yes I do.
Although, I have to say, I generally only skip love scenes for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I’ll skip them, if the sex is getting in the way of a great book (Tara Janzen’s, Crazy series comes to mind). I’ll also skip, if the sex scenes are dull and unimaginative, or if they are a tad too adventurous.
I know that anal sex is all the rage these days, but quite frankly, I’d rather not read about the ins and outs of the act in a romance book. It just seems so unromantic somehow.
The minute the hero’s finger goes anywhere near the heroine’s anus, I kinda find myself clenching my butt in preparation, and that’s a pretty good indication of what’s coming up, so I just move on a few pages.
I read an ER story a while ago where, in one of the love scenes, the hero licked the heroine’s butt. All I could think at the time was, what if she hadn’t cleaned herself properly the last time she went for a number two? *Shudder*. The importance of hygiene should really never be underestimated, dontcha agree?
When I used to regularly read Harlequin category books, one of the things that used to annoy me no end, was how much some of the authors would avoid using the word, penis, to describe the hero’s cock.
Till this day, ‘manhood’ has got to be one of the most irritating words in romance. I never understood why they simply couldn’t call a cock, a cock, and a pussy a pussy, instead of pissing around with all the crap eupemisms.
Another reason for skipping sex scenes, is if they are too damned long. In Rhyannon Byrd’s Triple Play, there was sex scene that lasted for two hundred effing Microsoft Reader pages. Talk about over-cooking the fucking goose.
I love Linda Howard’s love scenes (mostly). They’re hot without being over the top explicit, and she does tend to mix things up a bit, although I have noticed that her heroes, (God love them) tend to sport massive hard-ons, for the duration of the book.
Surprisingly enough, I tend to skip Eve and Roarke’s love scenes, in J.D. Robb’s In Death books.
Why?
Because they’re mostly predictable, and I find that they’re usually too short for this reader to get to grips with. Plus, they also tend to have jack-rabbit/hit-and-run sex, which is ok now and again, but does tend to get a little boring after a while. Ya know I still love ya right, Nora?
Thea Devine’s love scenes tend to skeeze me out. Mostly because I’m not a huge fan of purple prose sex (unless you’re Lisa Valdez ). I’m still scarred from reading Sensation. Jesus, that book sucked arse.
Anyway, enough from me, what about you? What makes you skip love scenes? What makes you keep reading every word? What gets you hot?
In short, how do you like your sex? (g)
byrdloves2read
January 1
10:37 pm
I’m with you, Karen, sometimes I skim through the sex scenes. A part of me doesn’t want to examine the why of it too closely because I might start evaluating all the time. So I can’t put my finger on why I skip some and not others. I know I won’t skip any in Sarah McCarty’s books because 1) they’re really hot and 2) the characters often work out their relationships within the sex scenes or at least further those relationships.
One thing I’d like to see more of is lightness and laughter in the sex scenes. You’ve got to be really comfortable with your partner to laugh with him/her. I’m remembering a scene in An Officer and a Gentleman where they start laughing. It was so real.
Barbara B.
January 1
11:10 pm
I like the sex scenes to be extremely intense, with a D/s overtone, preferably between two muscular men. Or a woman topping an alpha male type like Mac Nighthorse in Joey W. Hill’s Natural Law. I absolutely love this type of erotic romance but they’re extremely rare. I’ve been told by several editors and epublishers that generally women are more into the submissive female/dominant male fantasy. Now that completely squicks me out. I really don’t get it but to each her own. I also absolutely love blowjob scenes. They’re the best!
Anonymous
January 2
12:48 am
You’ve mentioned some of the reasons I also skip the sex scenes: the ones where the guy’s tongue is anywhere near the woman’s anus totally turn me off (shudder). Or where the entire book is one sex scene after another. Boring. Or if anyone has read even one of Jaid Black’s books, you know all the scenes are pretty much the same – the heroine is almost always put into a submissive position, she “throws her hips back at him” asking for it harder, and of course he screws her impossibly harder, going all primal on her while he’s chanting about “my pussy. Mine.” There you have it: the whole plot for a Jaid Black book *g*
A lot of readers love Robin Schone’s books, but I found the sex scenes cold and clinical. And depressing. “My Lady’s Tutor” is the only one I sorta liked. I also don’t like anything with pain, or the more serious sub/dom stuff. I can go for the submissive stuff, and the m/f/m work for me, but no piercings or whippings or humiliation stuff. I came across a milder s/d in a Secrets book and it was such a huge turn-off.
Linda Howard rocks, definitely. I like Lacey Alexander’s “French Quarter”. JD Robb’s scenes are so quick I don’t even think of them as sex scenes. Same with Janet Evanovich. You’ve got two hot guys (Joe & Ranger) and most of the action is alluded to – damn I hate it when they leave us wanting more.
Sarah McCarty
January 2
1:10 am
Karen, I dont’ knwo what to say, just… GASP!!!! *G*
And Byrd, *blush* thanks.
Jaye
January 2
1:18 am
God bless you Karen, I can always count on coming over here and getting a laugh.
As for skimming love scenes? Yeah, I do, for all the reasons pointed out. Too many, too repetitious, no point in reference to plot/character development, too skeevy, too clinical, not enough emotional connection to the reader or between the characters. Lack of passion–sure you can use all the right terminology, but if I ain’t feelin ya, I just ain’t feelin ya.
Barb, I’m one of the readers those editors are referring to. To each his own, but I have absolutely no interest in a submissive hero. none. The only exception to that would be a M/M story with *one* of the leads being the sub. But… I don’t read a lot of M/M stories either. lol. Tried a couple, they just never held my interest.
Happy New Year, Karen!
Jaye
January 2
2:33 am
Just remembered, Cruisie does good funny/hot lovescenes.
seton
January 2
5:36 am
I almost never skip a sex scene. I like to observe all the stylistic choices or non-choices that an author may use. However, recently I did come across a ER which had a 60 page sex scene and I found it so long and boring that I fell asleep reading it 2 nights in a roll. I finally had to make a determined effort the 3rd nite to finish it. I never, ever thought that would ever happen to me.
Someone mentioned that clinical depressing quality of Robin Schone sex scenes. I kind of like that. There can to a certain triste quality to sex and I rarely come across it in romance novels.
Sarah McCarty
January 2
11:31 am
Now that I’m over my shock, *gasping again* of Karen’s confession *G*, there is only one set of books I read and absolutely loved because the characterization was so absolutley phenomenal yet skipped most of the love scenes and that was Joey Hill’s Ice Queen and Mirror of My Soul. They’re hard core BDSM which is why I had to skip the ones that weren’t hero and heroine related. But I did so with a sense of regret and a frantic need to get back to that wonderful characterization and story line. Some of the best character development I’ve ever read is in those books.
However, in my opinion, love scenes in an erotic romance (note the word romance there. I’m not talking straight erotica or RS or any other genre) should be the most emotionally intense scenes in the entire book and demonstrate the most growth of the relationship between the H&H, so if I’m skimming them, I’ve probably already disposed of the book for lack of characterization and depth.
I’m really a pretty cut and dried reader. *sigh*
shuzluva
January 2
3:13 pm
There are times when I definitely skip the sex scenes, but when that happens, generally there is zero chemistry between the hero and heroine (or heros…depending on what you’re reading) and I end up putting the book down entirely.
I have had the off moment when there is fantastic chemistry between the main characters and then the writer gets to the sex…and it falls flat. That disappoints me even more that simply crappy writing.
As far as buttsecks, I enjoy reading about it, but can’t imagine it’s as good as the author implies, nor as clean as it appears in romance/romantica/erotica. There is no way every couple is having all of this fabulous buttsecks without a massive rubber sheet…so suspension of reality is a necessity. In addition, whenever a tongue ventures towards an anus, my brain just shuts down. I can’t go there!
Avid Reader
January 2
3:19 pm
I skip them from time to time, too, Karen. For me, I prefer them to be quick and hot and then one nice love scene and that’s it for me. Anal sex isn’t preferable but I have read my share. It seems to be the tacked on “ultimate love” moment in a romantica, where the heroine accepts the hero in every ortifice of her body, just about and that means she loves him. However, I’ve yet to read where the hero licks the heroine’s butt.
Another gripe of mine is the tasting of each other’s body fluids and the hero’s hunger for the heroine’s juices like it’s a fine wine or something and they must have more and more and more. I know it’s the fantasy aspect but still, many love scenes are so unrealistic but fun.
Keishon
sallahdog
January 2
3:46 pm
Its so hard to figure out why I like some love scenes and not others..
I skip a LOT, mostly if it seems just tacked on, rather than an integral part of the story.
My absolute all time favorite author of a love scene in a book is Jennifer Crusie and the book “Welcome to Temptation”…. The sex scenes in that book were really hot, and they all had a purpose… They were also funny, which I love..
I would just as soon an author not write a love scene (like Evanovich does) rather than write them when her heart really isnt in them. It shows. I have a really good imagination so I can take it from the closed bedroom door all by myself.
I used to think I was pretty out there and pervy in my reading tastes, but I do admit, if the book is a ROMANCE, I want ROMANCE , not a series of sexual encounters with no real romantic overtones. I am not squicked by Dominance and Submission. I am not into Pain or humiliation(not terribly romantic in my book). Anal and Oral don’t bother me, although I could do without the clinical detail of whats going on. I don’t like overly flowery prose, but I also don’t like feeling like 70s porn music (boom chickee bow bow) should be playing in the background.
seton
January 2
4:40 pm
However, I’ve yet to read where the hero licks the heroine’s butt.
The first time I noticed it was in GENTLEMAN SEDUCED by Sharon Page. I’m pretty sure that I read that I read another ER with that but cant quite remember, maybe one of the Rhiannon Byrds?
Sandra Schwab
January 2
7:26 pm
Happy new year to you, Karen! Here’s to a great year filled with many lovely books! 🙂
Love scenes … They were the thing that drew me to romance in the first place. My very first romance (or rather, the first book I read as a romance — thanks to strange marketing in Germany you don’t always know what exactly you’re reading) was Stephanie Laurens’s A RAKE’S VOW and I found it exhilerating to read about a woman who a) takes an active part when it comes to sex and b) who isn’t punished with death because of it. In addition, I thought it really nice to read sex scenes that didn’t ick me out (worst thing I ever read was a historical novel, in which the characters not only needed a quick shag every 40 pages, but in which one of them also had sex with goats — please note the plural)
Sarah McCarty
January 2
11:23 pm
Okay. Now Sandra, you’ve got me gasping for an entirely different reason. Goats? Poor goats!
And Happy New Year everyone!
Gail Faulkner
January 2
11:36 pm
I’ve been watching this discussion avidly. I might add, innocently drinking in peoples views and preferences…..whan AKKKKKKK! GOAT(S) I beg you, warn me. SPEW ALERT would have done it and saved a lovely computer screen. LOL
Sandra Schwab
January 3
4:21 pm
Oh, he didn’t do the goats. It was more of an … uhm … oral sex thing. In the same book a guy pleasures a woman with his very, very grubby toes. And this is the novel which was hailed as the next big thing of the German historical novel. — Oh gosh, and I’ve just found out that it has been translated into English as well: The Children of the Grail, by Peter Berling. And it even got 5-star reviews on amazon. *headdesk*
sallahdog
January 3
4:58 pm
Was it wrong of me that I went to Amazon and immediately looked up this book? thankfully its unavailable and so I cant cavort with goats and live with that in my mind… lol…
Karen Scott
January 3
5:46 pm
Hey Sallahdog, that’s nothing I read SB candy’s slating review of Cassie Edwards, and immediately went to Amazon to purchase, lol!! It sounded too bad to pass up, although I must admit, I purchased a used copy!
sallahdog
January 3
8:44 pm
goats….fake chinese girls…. dirty toe sex… whippage of said fake chinese girl… I think we are about even… ok, mine was pervier, but it actually had 5 star reviews… heh…
Anonymous
January 9
7:40 am
Karen, your post reminded me of a Times Online article on a book called Dirty Bits for Girls.