
Can Silicone-Enhanced Breasts Ever Be OK For A Romance Heroine?
Friday, April 20, 2012Posted in: random musings
Tags:Silicone implants in romance

It hasn’t passed my attention that within romance, enhanced breasts are usually hung on the ‘bitchy other woman’, as if somehow having silicone implants automatically makes her a bad person. This has started to annoy me a little bit. I don’t know, it just seems a tad judgemental.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the heroine had breast implants just out of vanity. I guess it’s not a romantic notion, and let’ face it, no woman wants to read about a hero who’s had his pee-pee surgically enhanced, but I sure am tired of lazy authors giving implants to The Other Woman Who’s Hot For The Hero, in order to confirm her status as a whorish bitch.
Any of you guys read a book where the heroine had a boob job for non-health related reasons?
JoanneF
April 20
6:55 pm
I read an erotic romance novella years ago (can’t remember title or author) where the heroine had a boob job, but it was part of a total-body makeover, including her face, to disguise her identity. Of course, the hero recognized her instantly, so I don’t know if it helped much.
Karen Scott
April 20
7:01 pm
Of course, the hero recognized her instantly, so I don’t know if it helped much.
I don’t know why, but this made me laugh out quite loudly, lol.
jmc
April 20
7:40 pm
I read Such A Pretty Face last year, women’s fiction, in which the narrator/heroine had a boob job. But that was in the context of significant weight loss and subsequent plastic surgery to be rid of baggy skin, etc., so maybe that’s health-related, too?
Las
April 20
7:47 pm
Since I can’t think of any romances off the top of my head where the heroine was allowed to like how she looks (even though shes gorgeous), I highly doubt we’ll ever see any who’s vain enough to get cosmetic surgery outside of erotica.
Karen Scott
April 20
7:48 pm
But that was in the context of significant weight loss and subsequent plastic surgery to be rid of baggy skin, etc., so maybe that’s health-related, too?
@JMC Yep, that’s far too good a reason for the plastic surgery. That’s a practical and understandable reason.
Jane A
April 20
8:35 pm
Runaway Mistress by Robyn Carr.
willaful
April 20
8:45 pm
There was a Lavyrle Spencer in which the heroine had a breast reduction, primarily for self-esteem issues, IRRC: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/572623.Sweet_Memories
Hell, I’m just happy to see a heroine who’s allowed to highlight her hair once in a blue moon. Heroines don’t change their naturally gorgeous appearance, they don’t drink or smoke or use drugs, they don’t wear anything but the most discreet make-up and when dining out, they always order the fish. Because they love it!
(I’m heavily overgeneralizing, of course…. those are mostly category heroines.)
Rhian Cahill
April 21
12:07 am
Chasing Eight – Lorelei James
http://store.samhainpublishing.com/chasin-eight-p-6359.html
Amarinda Jones
April 21
12:10 am
“The Girl Who Played with Fire.” That heroine or more anti-heroine does purely because she comes into a lot of money.
Meri
April 21
12:04 pm
I think I read a Karen Robards RS (Whispers at Midnight, maybe?) a few years ago in which the heroine had gotten implants and was very pleased with them. I remember nothing of the book itself, though.
Jill Sorenson
April 21
2:20 pm
I was going to say Karen Robards also. The heroine was flat-chested and she got implants. She liked them. The hero liked them. He knew they were fake and didn’t care, which struck me as a realistic guy attitude.
Why would you get implants for health reasons? I thought they carried health risks, not benefits.
Patricia
April 21
7:52 pm
Urrgh! Yes! God, I sometimes fear that one day I’ll have no hair anymore because I rip out strands of it everytime I read books with shit like this. >_<
FD
April 21
8:31 pm
Karen Templeton has one called Pride and Pregnancy. (Yes, it’s an oops book.) The heroine has had three divorces, and has implants and fake nails. I think she may be blonde, (can’t remember if it’s dyed or not) and I’m pretty sure she had a penchant for tight sexy clothes and pink. The archetypal romance heroine, not.
I’m not a baby-book reader in general, but I recall liking this, and not a small bit was for the sympathetic portrayal of the heroine.
Las
April 22
12:51 am
FD, I have to read that one. I’m always on the look out for heroines that are villainized in most romances. Thanks for the heads up!
KristieJ
April 22
2:10 pm
I can’t say I’ve read any like that & I don’t think I would – but OMG!!! That picture of Mr. Bean – it’s priceless
KC
April 24
11:55 pm
>Why would you get implants for health reasons? I thought they carried health risks, not benefits.
One reason would be reconstruction after mastectomy (I know, not usually a romance theme…) There are alternatives to implants, but it seems to be the least invasive if you opt for reconstruction.
Magic and Mayhem Writers » Blog Archive » Heroines Aren’t Supposed to Like the Way They Look?
April 26
1:02 pm
[…] that Karen Knows Best said recently — plus the comments -– got me thinking about the body image issues in […]