romancelandia
For the past year and a half I've been reading romance novels regularly. I'm not a big fan of historical romances (so many dukes! and rakes!) or paranormal (so many animal shifters!) or sci-fi (so many aliens with human-like appendages!). I like to stick to the fairly recognizable real world. Granted I don't know any billionaires in need of a fake marriage with the best friend's sister who hates him but alas they are snowed in together with only one bed....
I can definitely say that I've learned a lot about cowboys and athletes. I have also happily learned that many authors are super responsive and interactive on social media. I also found that the romance community on reddit is a very supportive, drama-free venue.
I am still a big fan of this trope. It generated a good discussion on Facebook.
One of my favorite scenarios in romance novels is when the hero falls even more in love with the heroine when he sees her display a high level of expertise. ("competency p*rn") In one book I read the hero is a professional soccer player and the heroine is the team's physical therapist, and he is so proud (and attracted) when she assesses and evacuates an injured teammate during a match. In another book the main couple are fellow FBI agents and the hero's affection grows when he sees her take down and disarm a suspect. Another favorite is a novel where the heroine is a large animal veterinarian and the hero is a rancher, and he catches feelings after a long day of vaccinating a herd of cattle together.
ETA: The heroine's profession can be anything - I just finished a novel where the hero admires the heroine because she's an awesome yoga instructor.
Best book dedication ever: "For everyone who loved the Darcy hand-flex."
From Unspoken by Rachel Rowan
I can definitely say that I've learned a lot about cowboys and athletes. I have also happily learned that many authors are super responsive and interactive on social media. I also found that the romance community on reddit is a very supportive, drama-free venue.
I am still a big fan of this trope. It generated a good discussion on Facebook.
One of my favorite scenarios in romance novels is when the hero falls even more in love with the heroine when he sees her display a high level of expertise. ("competency p*rn") In one book I read the hero is a professional soccer player and the heroine is the team's physical therapist, and he is so proud (and attracted) when she assesses and evacuates an injured teammate during a match. In another book the main couple are fellow FBI agents and the hero's affection grows when he sees her take down and disarm a suspect. Another favorite is a novel where the heroine is a large animal veterinarian and the hero is a rancher, and he catches feelings after a long day of vaccinating a herd of cattle together.
ETA: The heroine's profession can be anything - I just finished a novel where the hero admires the heroine because she's an awesome yoga instructor.
Best book dedication ever: "For everyone who loved the Darcy hand-flex."
From Unspoken by Rachel Rowan