Top Ten Tuesday: Romance Trends

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic is all about romance. What do you like/dislike when it comes to romance in books? What do you want to see more of? What do you wish to never see again? This is such an unbelievably hard topic for me since I think about these things ALL. THE. TIME. but then I go blank when someone actually asks me to list them. So let's hope I don't want to edit it tons after it's published. 

the DON'TS:

1. Insta-love - Instant attraction is a thing, instant love is not. I don't want to step on anybody's toes that believe in "love at first sight," but I want to roll my eyes every time I hear that.

2. Love triangles - First of all, how is this girl (usually it's the girl facing a decision) able to snag two guys' undeniable attention, making them wait and pursue her? HOW? Second, I have so many other problems with this trope, I don't know where to begin. Mostly, just go check out Lauren's blog. 

3. Abuse/manipulation - Come on, as girls, we're told that bad boys are actually good. Some authors actually succeed in this, but when it goes to abuse or manipulation or just downright jerky/bad, count me out. That's just wrong. (Looking at you, 50 Shades) 

4. All about that bass - One of them is lusting after the other and describing them constantly. And yes, I said lust. You can be attracted to someone, but when you're only focusing on their looks so many times I lose count, that's lust in my opinion. 

• Special looks - The girl is prettier (and has a way different name, if you can imagine) than the other girls. Even though she's Miss Special, she's single and a loser. 
• Special snowflake - This person can do no wrong! They suddenly realize they're the savior for the whole world! They realize they have powers! So their "love interest" is captivated by them. I'm just wondering, do you know what their favorite color is? If they're a breakfast or "just coffee" person in the morning? Sometimes I would just like to see characters caring about the person's personality and if they can actually live together in the long run. 

5. The safe, hypocritical zone - So many times, the girl stays with her safe boyfriend even though she's attracted to another. Sometimes she finally gets the chance with her lifetime crush and holds on to that even though suddenly the other guy is more attractive to her. Although this "let's stay safe" trope gets on my nerves, what makes it worse is when they go to forms of cheating. Hate. Cheating. Flirting, emotional bondage, a form of a date, etc. I bet you that if your significant other or even just that crush did it to you, you'd dump him real quick. 

 

the DO'S: 

1. Slow burn - On the other end of insta-love is the slow burn. The romantic tension KILLS. Of course, if this happens too much, it'd become like any other trope, but I do wish that it happens more and in a well-written way.

2. Brains being appreciated - I don't want to read about a Romeo & Juliet story where it ends up in a double suicide. Your romance, especially if it just happened, is not an end-all and be-all kind of situation. Think.

3. Friendship first - I appreciate a romance a whole lot more when there was a level of friendship first. This friendship doesn't necessarily have to happen before we meet them on the page, but I like friends who become a couple. 

• Best friends - That whole "best friends turned lovers" trope is a favorite of mine. I can't deny.
• The disguise - If a girl disguises herself as a boy and they become friends first before he realizes she's a girl and now he's attracted to her — if this happens, I will be very, very happy (if done right). 

4. Social class differences - Typically in a dystopian society where one is higher up in the ranks. I'm a fan. 

5. Wit - There needs to be humor in the situation! I'm a big, big fan of witty conversations and an author will win me over if there's banter. 

Based on these personal preferences, do you have any suggestions? Do you share these sentiments?

The Dos and Don'ts of YA Romance

Imagine you're reading a book that you're liking and connecting with, it's feeling good and you're bobbing along, ready to see what happens next. Then WHA-BOOM. Something annoying happens and it's lost. All of it. The connection, the interest, the patience, the respect, and the increasing love. It comes to a screeching halt and then disappears. That wha-boom can come from many things and vary from person to person. Sometimes the wha-boom isn't really a wha-boom at all, but is a build-up of repeated offenders. But there is one aspect of a story that gets a beating more than others—in my opinion, at least—and that's romance. In YA, romance is a fickle thing and can conjure up more groans from me than any other part (the narrative and realism are very close). So I decided to make up a list of my personal dos and don'ts of YA romance (hence the title).

DO: Let it simmer

I want the slow-burning kind of love! I do enjoy a whirlwind romance now and then, but I realized that I'm in desperate need for a friend-turned-lover kind of relationship. Let that tension build! It builds up my emotions, the feels, the angst, and while it's not a quickie romance, it's still very exciting.

DON'T: Insta-love it

Of course, the opposite of tension-feeling and realistic love is insta-love. Who likes instant-anything? I'd much rather cook my oats then have those nasty packets, so why would I want to make my fictional romance instant as well? 

DO: Talking is a beaut

I don't want to be bogged down by dialogue and I love affection just as much as the next person (ahem, Alienated), but it would be nice if they talked more than they lay hands on each other. This is a bit like insta-love in the way of not feeling authentic. I don't FEEL the romance when all there is between them is lust.

DON'T: Overuse the understanding card

A big problem I have, especially in contemporary, is when the girl protagonists talk as if their love interest is so amazing and so special because he "understands" her like no one else. He can understand you, but don't keep saying it over and over as if I'm a stupid reader and you're trying to convince me of something. Hearbeat by Elizabeth Scott, anyone?

DO: Incorporate other "life stuff," but DON'T force conflict

We have a twofer! Here's the thing. Personally, I need something to be going on besides the romance. It can involve the romance, but make me care. Be cautious! I see many books just add conflict because they know they need it, but it's not developed well so I still don't care. And now I'm just annoyed.

DON'T: Clinginess

When I read about a love interest who clings, like guys who border on being abusive because they're controlling, I really feel like squirming and yelling, "GET OFF OF ME." Yes, they're on the other person, but I feel suffocated and frustrated just looking at it. And from what I hear from Twilight readers, I'm looking at you, Edward.

DO: Caring is sharing
When I say that, I mean that when you show that the two lovers truly care about each other (deeper than the quick, superficial stuff), it spills over and makes ME care. So really, the caring is being shared around. Rae Carson's Hector and Elisa , anyone?

DON'T: Make her be a flip-flopper
Flip-flopping usually happens to girl protagonists during a love triangle. Even though there should NOT be a love triangle anyways (so overrated, Lauren can tell you why), if you do have one, don't make her flip-flop between the guys. I get the heart's conflict, but when she constantly says she's in love with one and then says it to the other, I really wish that both guys would dump her. She deserves to be forever-alone.

What are your dos and don'ts for YA (or any category) romance?

Happy Valentine's Day! Go to my list here to have recommendations for great swoon-worthy books!