Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. Today’s theme was:
Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books (can do a full list or split it up in likes/dislikes or even things you want to see MORE of in romances in fiction)
This one’s a little hard to write because I tend to not seek out books that are strictly romances, but I do read books with romances in them, so here are five of the things I like and five of the things I don’t like when it comes to romance in books.
Likes
1. Swoony men – Obviously. But not swoony in a typical way. For example, I much prefer Cricket in Lola and the Boy Next Door to St. Clair in Anna and the French Kiss. St. Clair knows he’s swoony and that’s not my thing.
2. Beautifully written dialogue between the characters – The way Sam talks about Grace in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series.
3. Imperfect / flawed love interests – I know no one is perfect, but sometimes it’s like authors forget this. Give me someone who has a backstory or is struggling with something.
4. Slow to build relationships – Take your time. Let the characters get to know one another, please and thank you.
5. Witty banter – But not if that’s ALL there is between them. I like humor and word play.
Dislikes
1. Instalove – We all knew this was going to be on my list. Blah.
2. Love triangles (unless they’re done well) – Unless it’s a love triangle like in Throne of Glass, I probably won’t like it.
3. Clichés / formulas – Did Girl just realize she’s been in love with Best Friend the whole time? Was there a Huge Misunderstanding? Are one or both of them Hiding Something? Can you say cliché rom com plots?
4. Dangerous / volatile relationships – No, no, no, no. Don’t do it.
5. Unnecessary romances – If your book can go from beginning to end with no romance and still be a wonderful book, WHY must you shove a romance in there? Not every book was meant to have a romance. Kthanksbye!
Alright, there you have it. What do YOU like or not like when it comes to romance in the books you read?
Caught Read Handed 
I love swoony as well. But it’s much more attractive if the character doesn’t even know that he/she has that effect on others. I haven’t read Lola yet, but now I’m more excited than ever to continue this companion trilogy! 🙂
Yes, I completely agree! It’s so much more attractive if they aren’t full of themselves. Cricket is wonderful – nerdy, sweet, smart, funny. You’ll love him.
Oh man unnecessary romances. Hey, just because most YA has romance doesn’t mean ALL YA has to! Jeez. It’s like they think we won’t like it if there isn’t any action.
My <a href="https://thebibliohphile.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/top-ten-things-i-dislike-in-fictional-romances/"TTT.
YES! Exactly! I don’t get it.
Thanks for stopping by!
The last point is so annoying! I came across it recently in an otherwise perfect book… If it’s not necessary, don’t do it!
Completely agree! I don’t get it. Just leave it alone!
I’m really excited to read Lola now, because I didn’t find St. Clair very attractive in Anna so hopefully I’ll like Cricket more! (I didn’t DISLIKE him but I think you’re right…he knew he was attractive to all the girls and he kind of acted like an indecisive jerk about it).
Yes, exactly! I didn’t NOT like him, but he’s not my type. Cricket is so my type!
Dialogue is important for almost any book, but definitely so in a romance, where what people say shows so much of a developing relationship.
Why do books get random romance tossed in? Because some readers demand it. Shame on them!
Dialogue is SUPER important in a romance, I agree. Also, random romances are the WORST. The people demanding them need to stop. Lol.
Haha I’m a sucker for romance, so I rarely think it’s unnecessary. Bring on the tension, the more the merrier!
Haha! Well, to each their own! 🙂
I agree with you on so many of these! I love Cricket so much…he’s perfect. Also, if I was to do a things I didn’t like about romances, insta love would be number one too!
I LOVE Cricket. He is so perfect.
Loooove Cricket Bell! I also love the “slow burn” thing. I totally forgot that when I was making my list.
I love seeing all the Cricket lovers here! Most of the people I’ve talked to love St. Clair, but he’s my least favorite of the three.
I do like St Claire, but he’s a cheater, so it’s hard to think of him as so ideal. Cricket, though, is sweet and awkward and basically perfect!
Agreed!
3 & 5 under dislikes. Yes. I too don’t need romance in every book I read, and sometimes I think it’s thrown in for no reason at all… the book that immediately comes to mind is “Mr. Penumbra’s 24 hour Bookstore”. Check out mine at https://bookishtendencieskatie.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/top-ten-likes-dislikes-of-romance-in-books/
Noooooo. Mr. Penumbra’s is on my TBR – I even own it! Well, thank you for the warning, at least I can go in expecting the unnecessary romance.
agreed to all of these things! Instalove and dangerous needs to gtfo
YESSSS. GTFO!
I agree with everything!
I think everyone hates Instalove & cheesy pick up lines lol Why can’t authors already figure that out?
Right? Seriously.
Unnecessary Romances. Yes. Reading a Sci-Fi book and find a romance just thrown in there for no reason at all, often forgot about by the end of the book. Augh. Why?!
Why, indeed? I don’t get it.
I know this isn’t really related but would you mind checking out my story, it’s a time travel story on Wattpad. I just wanted some of my blogger friends to give me an honest opinion. It’s here at, http://w.tt/17dpUbm x *gives you cookies*
Nope back away Cricket is mine lol
I will FIGHT you for him. Haha.
Bring it on
Completely agree with the unnecessary romances! I hate when its added just because the author feels like readers need it. Some books just don’t! My boyfriend, who reads mostly sci-fi/fantasy/dystopia, gets so mad about this. He’d rather it not exist at all in most of the books he reads! Lol. All Fall Down by Ally Carter is a great example of a book that didn’t need a romance and didn’t really have one.
Oooo. I’ve been eyeing that book, so I’ll have to check it out now! 🙂
Great list! I’m 100% with you on the Cricket/St. Clair break down. I like both, but Cricket’s vulnerability will always appeal to me more.
Same here. He’s also nerdier which I prefer. 🙂
OMG I completely agree with your dislikes! It’s hilarious! Insta-love and love triangles get to my nerves all the damn time! 🙂
Haha! I think almost everyone can agree with those. Authors need to STOP with all that. Lol. 🙂
I agree with all of these. I also like it when it comes to flawed characters for the author (and protagonist) to focus more than just looks. I’ve read far too many books where the male interest is physically swoon-worthy and that’s it. Great list.
My TTT
YES! If all you like in someone is the way that they look, you’ve got a problem. They need depth and emotion and an actual personality.
Thanks for stopping by, Alicia! Heading to check out your list now. 🙂
Omg, I have points no. 4 & 5 (like list) and point no. 4 (dislike list) in my post! It seems most bloggers dislike best-friend-secretly-love-the-other-person angle. I actually enjoy friends-to-lovers angle because I find this type of relationship usually lasts longer.
I agree with you on point no. 3. I dislike it when heroine falls in love with “perfect” hero. Nobody’s perfect.
I think that the friends-to-lovers thing is great when it’s written well. I LOVED it in Lola and the Boy Next Door, but when a character SUDDENLY realizes she’s always loved her best friend with little to no explanation for this realization, it irritates me. Does that make sense?
I understand your point. I don’t like it when the character suddenly becomes possessive when best friend has a serious relationship.
However there are a few books that were well-executed. Good example is Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. I just like how Colin rationalise his love for Penelope. 🙂
I haven’t read that one, but I’ll head over to Goodreads to check it out!
NOTHING is worse than Insta love!! UGH!
I completely agree!!
Great list! I totally agree with a lot of these. Especially witty banter and slow burn/slow building love. I also love friends-to-lovers stories. Hate hate insta-love as well as love triangles. Ugh.
HATE instalove. Bleh.
HHahha very true the last one. I don’t like if a female main character is always drooling over the guy and there is no development at all. You may call this dumb girls. Seriously, 300 pages of “Omg he’s hot and I’m ugly” is just the worst!
EXACTLY!! I hate that.
It’s okay if she is admiring some things every now and than but is at least trying (please!) to control her hormones! There is much more to a guy than his looks ! … Oh and sth else: shame on all the main characters who have to be rescued. Like… ALWAYS! Come on! Some rescueing is fine but every time? What about trying little Princess??
I’m not a big fan of the damsel in distress either – put your big girl panties on and save yourself!!
Let’s see the girl save the guy!
YESSS!! That would be awesome!