Monday, February 22, 2016

Romance Books: "I'm Shocked, Shocked to Find Sex Going On" by @KarynGerrard #Opinion #TooSteamy



OMG! Sex in romance books!

We've all seen the reviews romance authors have received that go something like this:

It was not for me I prefer less steamy reading. 1 Star.


What can an author do? Nothing. It's not much of a review. Doesn't give constructive criticism. Just that it was too hot. So did the person even read the blurb or look at the heat rating which stated it was very sensual?

I read one on a box set, the reader was angry there was no clean reads in it. Huh? The blurb mentioned, hot, sizzling, sensual heat, why did this reader think there would be a clean read in it? Makes no sense.

I've been seeing a lot of reviews lately giving 1 or 2 stars to authors because, omg, sex, or omg, language. Do we as authors really have to start putting warnings on books? Basically the best advice is to ignore these reviews and do not take them to heart.

Let's just say unless a romance book says it is behind closed doors or a clean or sweet romance, you are going to find some sex in it. If you can't handle it, I have to ask, why do you read romance novels anyway?

I'm all for a pure romance with nothing but a gentle embrace, but I would never leave a 1-star review saying: where was the sex?

Romance gets a bad enough rap with that stupid 'mommy porn' label that literary types like to slap on the genre. Romance is so much more than sex. But sex is also an intricate part of most romance plots. The best romances I personally like have deeply felt emotion intertwined with sensual sex. That passion also fuels the love. Deepens it, enhances it. But hey, that's me.


It's also what I like to write about. I am already girding my loins for the reviews to come on "The Vicar's Frozen Heart." (already got a couple on Goodreads.) OMG. A vicar has sex. How crude!
First off, my hero is a second son of a duke, an ex-soldier, he isn't a saint. He hasn't taken a vow of celibacy, nor does being a vicar mean you have to take one. Vicars can marry! (Cue up Monty Python's Dirty Vicar sketch)

But just because 'vicar' is in the title doesn't mean its an inspirational romance. It says right in the blurb she winds up in his bed! And they aren't playing Parcheesi. *wink*

So as long as there is sex in romance books (and language and violence) authors will offend someone to be sure. Just let it roll off your back, move on, and write more hot scenes!

~Karyn

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