I'm picky about romance novels--but also predictable.
As I've binge-read romance novels, I've noticed certain patterns in my reading. I don't have any strict rules about what I read,** per se. But I have noticed that I am more likely to be drawn to, engaged by, and finish romance novels, not to mention emerge satisfied, if they meet certain criteria. Some of these criteria are not easy to pin down. For example, they have to be "smart." Now, what do I mean by "smart"? I haven't a clue. Not self-consciously smart. Not necessarily anything that pushes boundaries. And not really something that makes a point of challenging the norms of the times in which they were written--or at least, not in a way that is implausible. But written in a way that respects my intelligence as a reader, and written by an author who is deliberate about the craft of writing and researching (without making it sound like a research paper with smooching, because research can go too far). I have looked at lists of "smart" romance novels, and picked and chosen from among those. Not all--and not all that were recommended by writers whom I do like--appeal to me. We all have different ideas of what is "smart," I think.
Other than "smart," I have managed to pin down a few criteria....
Read more here.
Cheers!
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