One set of scenes confines to stick with me after YEARS of reading romance. It is from "Crazy Wild" by Tara Janzen back in the days before... well a lot of things.
It begins about mid book. There's already been at least two attempts (by her) to kill or maim the leading guy, he's almost gotten her killed numerous times... and she's wearing a fishnet body suit. The scene unravels into total hotness faster than her fishnet. Each subsequent scene is just so poignant/hot/sweet that the book is in my top 5 of rereads. Maybe even #1. Although Loose and Easy (same author) could give it a run for the money.
But what stands out most is the yearning, the desperation... the feeling that these two NEED each other but there just isn't a chance that this relationship could hold up in the world outside his (extremely unique) bachelor pad.
This is why I am hooked on romance and where so many fall short. I can't tell you the number of times I've skipped a gratuitous sex scene because 1. It was totally unnecessary 2. Didn't MEAN anything to the characters... they might as well have been assembling IKEA furniture (tab a slot b) 3. It sounded like EVERY OTHER DANG SCENE IN EACH OF THE SERIES (yes, I'm looking at YOU RD, LL, AF, and LKH many many others.) 4. There are just too eyebrow raising, book tilting, WTF blocking issues. (Cough, gray hairball, cough, ELJ)
Thank you for commenting, Amy. I will check out Crazy Wild. You just talking about it makes it a must-read. I agree that some authors seem to use the same sex scene over and over in their books. It looks lazy and indicates a lack of interest in the characters or the book. If there isn't an intense dynamic between the characters, I find it challenging to create sex scenes for them, making me realize I have to work on that. Sex isn't the problem. It's creating that strong "need" or, as you describe, "desperation."
One set of scenes confines to stick with me after YEARS of reading romance. It is from "Crazy Wild" by Tara Janzen back in the days before... well a lot of things.
It begins about mid book. There's already been at least two attempts (by her) to kill or maim the leading guy, he's almost gotten her killed numerous times... and she's wearing a fishnet body suit. The scene unravels into total hotness faster than her fishnet. Each subsequent scene is just so poignant/hot/sweet that the book is in my top 5 of rereads. Maybe even #1. Although Loose and Easy (same author) could give it a run for the money.
But what stands out most is the yearning, the desperation... the feeling that these two NEED each other but there just isn't a chance that this relationship could hold up in the world outside his (extremely unique) bachelor pad.
This is why I am hooked on romance and where so many fall short. I can't tell you the number of times I've skipped a gratuitous sex scene because 1. It was totally unnecessary 2. Didn't MEAN anything to the characters... they might as well have been assembling IKEA furniture (tab a slot b) 3. It sounded like EVERY OTHER DANG SCENE IN EACH OF THE SERIES (yes, I'm looking at YOU RD, LL, AF, and LKH many many others.) 4. There are just too eyebrow raising, book tilting, WTF blocking issues. (Cough, gray hairball, cough, ELJ)
Agreed. There is such a thing as too much.
Thank you for commenting, Amy. I will check out Crazy Wild. You just talking about it makes it a must-read. I agree that some authors seem to use the same sex scene over and over in their books. It looks lazy and indicates a lack of interest in the characters or the book. If there isn't an intense dynamic between the characters, I find it challenging to create sex scenes for them, making me realize I have to work on that. Sex isn't the problem. It's creating that strong "need" or, as you describe, "desperation."