Not too hard, not too soft; not too hot, not too cold — but just right. Like Goldilocks, as a romance reader (and writer) I’m always looking for the perfect balance. Goldilocks may not have been trying to get laid by the three bears (I think she might have been barking up the wrong trees in that case!), but she had the right idea about getting it just right.
I recently read a historical romance that had a great plot and was well written, and which I enjoyed — except for the fact that there wasn’t enough sex. Most importantly, their first time was cut to black, which made me screech, “WHAT?!?” when I turned the page and realized it was a new chapter that wasn’t picking up right where we left off.
Maybe I’m just a dirty girl who likes a lot of smut in her romance? However, I really think that you can learn a lot about characters through sex. Furthermore, in this day and age I’m kind of mystified when authors choose to go to black for an important sex scene. I don’t mind fading to black to avoid repetition, but for their first time? That’s so vital to me as a reader.
Now, about the repetition. On the flipside of the previous book mentioned, the book I finished yesterday was sex scene after sex scene after sex scene. The second half felt like it was almost all screwing, and the story was basically the two characters being in love and happy and thinking that their respective boyfriend was awesome and wonderful.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The writing was good, the sex was hot, but…there was no drama! I really started to get bored with all the sex, and was waiting for something to happen. Nope. The characters met and liked each other, and there was internal conflict for one as he realized he was gay — but not for long. They got together and started going at it like bunnies, page after page. After a while, it just gets old, especially with a lack of conflict (which I’ll discuss in a future post). Yet this book is very popular, so I guess I’m out of step.
For me, I need a balance between plentiful, hot, descriptive sex and an engaging plot with drama and conflict. If it’s just happy fun times and sex, sex, sex, there’s no hook.
What about you? How much sex in a romance is too much or too little? What’s the winning formula for you?
I, too, am a fan of the sexin’ in books, but completely agree that it needs to feed the bigger picture. For sure. *high five* (I’d say more, but gotta get back to writing the whole big picture that the sex fits into.
)
Hee! Yes, get back to writing! But thanks for commenting, and I’m glad it’s not just me who needs the bigger picture along with the sexin’.
I like sex sex sex in a short fic which has no purpose other than to be sexy! But in a longer work I too want a little more story to go with the sexing! I read a series of books this past week and by the time I got to the fourth one – once the characters had been well established already – I found myself wanting more sex than what the author was giving me. It was rather a plot-heavy book and I found myself skipping a few pages waiting for more sex. So I guess it’s a balancing act!
I think I know which series you’re talking about, and I totally agree! I loved the plots and the characters so much, but wanted a bit more sex in there. It really is a balancing act. And obviously different readers have different ideas of what a good balance is.
As Goldilocks knows, it’s tough finding something just right!
LOL! Yes, I think you know the one I’m talking about!
I wanted more sex! The guys were totally established as solid and in love, yet the author created circumstances in which the guys had less opportunity for sexing than they’d had previously! Boo! Here’s hoping Book 5 delivers more!
That Goldilocks is right on the money!
I completely agree, there needs to be a balance. When a story that’s supposed to be a romance goes on too long without sex, it throws me out of the story because it just doesn’t seem believable. OTOH, when there’s just sex and nothing else (other than a relatively brief PWP), it can become tedious and/or exhausting. Even if we’re talking about a story about, for example, two teenaged boys, and I could totally believe they would just fuck and fuck and fuck for hours on end, after a while it’s like, yeah, I get it, they’re fucking… can we skip to the story part of the story now?
Yeah, I feel the same way. I’m a reader (and writer) who wants a healthy dose of hot sex in my romances. But when it’s just sex and there’s not conflict or drama, it loses me.
Thanks for commenting!
Totally agree with you. There needs to be a balance! I agree with Alice that if it’s a short PWP and I know what I’m in for, then I’m aware I’m going to get PWP and I don’t need anything else. But if a long story expects me to stay interested in a believable relationship between two characters then I need some pay off. You can learn a lot about a character by the way that they have sex and whatever inner monologue comes from it. In order to create a well-rounded relationship, intimacy needs to be involved and that includes physical intimacy as well as emotional. But there needs to be balance. It can’t be scene after scene of just sex. There needs to be some forward motion in the story, interesting conflict or some kind of event that the two characters have to endure and triumph over together. It makes it interesting and compelling! Don’t people want their readers to be interested and compelled to want more? If it’s just sex, just happy all the time, it’s just not that interesting.
There needs to be some forward motion in the story, interesting conflict or some kind of event that the two characters have to endure and triumph over together.
You’ve summed it up beautifully! There needs to be some meat there — and not just hot cocks. ;P
The sexual organ that I most want to read about is the brain. I’m most interested in the psychology of people getting it on—how what’s going on in the bedroom relates to what’s going on everywhere else. Yes, moist love tunnels and throbbing man meat are lovely, but if I don’t have any insight into what makes these people tick, I’ll be bored.
But then again, that’s probably just me.
No, not just you. It has to be more than just sex, at least for me. If it’s just a short little porny story where the sex is the only purpose, throbbing man meat is all you need. But for a romance, I need the brains!
Thanks for commenting, Vanessa!
I am a long time reader of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series of vampire books and she has gotten killed by readers for the amount and type of sexual encounters in her books. Part of the problem is that the first few books did not have any sex scenes at all and now sex is a major focus. The other problem is that the female protagonist sleeps with lots of men. I am amazed at how angry this has mad many former fans and how much energy they put into blasting this author. For me, once pleasure reading is no longer pleasurable I just stop reading.
Yes, I’ve heard lots of grumbing about that series. A friend said that Anita was a bit too much of a Mary Sue and desired by every man who crosses her path.
I’m with you — once a book series isn’t enjoyable, I stop reading.
Thanks for commenting!
I don’t know if there is a right formula, simply because so many people have so many differences in their writing style preferences. Some like nothing but smut. Some just want flowers and G rated moments. I think it also comes down to the mood the reader is in at the time.. Because let’s face it, if you’re a bit horny, you’re just going to want smut smut smut.
But for me personally, I need a constant flow of tender moments and sex. There certainly needs to be a plot and character building, but smut is a must. Simply because we get the G rated stuff in life every day and on every TV show. I use reading (whether it be books or fanfiction) as a way to “get more”. Get to see more, if that makes sense?
Oh yes, it’s impossible to find a “right” formula. What’s right for one reader or writer is totally wrong for others.
we get the G rated stuff in life every day and on every TV show. I use reading (whether it be books or fanfiction) as a way to “get more”. Get to see more, if that makes sense?
Absolutely. I feel the same way, especially with gay romance. We get to see so little on TV and in most movies that I really crave more in my romance novels.
Thanks for commenting, Amanda!
My biggest pet peeve at the moment is the feminization of characters and the plot in m/m romance. If I want to read a Harlequin, I’ll buy one. I do NOT want it in my m/m romance. What I mean is that if you switch the name of the m/m character from Luke to Lucy it wouldn’t matter because the way the book was written it doesn’t seem appropriate for a male character. Ugh.