I’m finding it hard to motivate myself to read a romance these days, even those I’m sure I’ll enjoy when I get around to them. I’ve always read widely, but romance is the one genre to which I turn when I’m looking for a relaxing, uplifting story. I have the odd slump from time to time when I’m just not enthused about the genre and find myself going through a phase of reading non-romance books exclusively. I guess this is one of those times.
Despite the large number of romances published each month, I noticed I have just one on my list of six April releases which I’d like to read. With a couple of notable exceptions, I’m just not that enthused about romances featuring Navy SEALs, werewolves, vampires, shifters, etc. I follow a couple of Urban Fantasy series, but I do so more because I like the authors than the genre, if that makes sense.
As a reader, I’m primarily interested in the characters. Convincing world-building and an interesting plot are also important, but I’m prepared to forgive a lot if I love the people in a story. The problem I’ve found with many of the romance novels I’ve read over the past couple of years is that the characters seem a bit flat, or the hero is likeable but the heroine is meh to outright annoying. When it comes to heroes and heroines in romance novels, my priority is the hero but I feel let down if he is paired with an unworthy heroine.
I remember a recent conversation with Keishon (Avid Book Reader) on Twitter. She said that some of the most compelling love stories she’s read recently were not in romance novels, but in mystery series. I agree with her. Those of us who follow Julia Spencer-Fleming’s excellent Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series probably do so as much for the complicated but compelling relationship between Clare and Russ as for the suspense plots. Similarly, I’m enjoying the love triangle in C.S. Harris’ Regency mystery series featuring Sebastian St. Cyr. Ariana Franklin’s medieval mystery series also contains a fraught relationship between the main character, Adelia, and her on-off lover, Rowley, Bishop of St. Albans.
Here are the six books I’m looking forward to in April 2010:
One was a Soldier by Julia Spencer Fleming – Mystery (Book 7 in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series)
Blurb: At the Millers Kill Community Center, five veterans gather to work on adjusting to life after war. Reverend Clare Fergusson has returned from Iraq with a head full of bad memories she’s using alcohol to wipe out. Dr. George Stillman is denying that the head wound he received has left him with something worse than simple migraines. Officer Eric McCrea is battling to keep his constant rage from affecting his life as a cop, and as a father.
High school track star Will Ellis is looking for some reason to keep on living after losing both legs to an IED. And down-onher- luck Tally McNabb has brought home a secret—a fatal one. Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne just wants Clare to settle down and get married—to him. But when he rules Tally McNabb’s death a suicide, Clare sides with the other vets against him. Russ and Clare’s unorthodox investigation will uncover a trail of deceit that runs from their tiny Adirondack town to the upper ranks of the Army, and from the waters of the Millers Kill to the unfor – giving streets of Baghdad.
The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear - Historical Mystery (Book 7 in the Maisie Dobbs series)
Blurb: The American parents of the dead cartographer hire Maisie to find “the English Nurse,” the young man’s mysterious lover—and possibly his killer, as the autopsy evidence points to his having been murdered shortly before the dugout collapsed. Only a few hours after having hired Maisie, the Americans are attacked and badly beaten, prompting Maisie to take it upon herself to discover their attacker. Maisie and her assistant, Billy, take on the case in their usual careful and contemplative style, even as difficulties in Maisie’s personal life challenge her concentration.
A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin – Medieval Mystery (Book 4 in the Adelia Aguilar series)
Blurb: In the fourth Mistress of the Art of Death mystery, medieval forensic pathologist Adelia Aguilar has been an enjoying a quiet life in the countryside with her daughter and friends. Then Henry II demands that she accompany his daughter and her formal procession to Italy and offers to “keep” her daughter with Queen Eleanor until her safe return. But death stalks the procession, and Adelia and her loyal friends soon realize that the killer is someone from her past bent on revenge.
Instruments of Darkness by Isobel Robertson – Historical Mystery
Blurb: Thornleigh Hall, seat of the Earl of Sussex, dominates its surroundings. Its heir is missing, and the once vigorous family is reduced to a cripple, his whore and his alcoholic second son, but its power endures. Impulsive Harriet Westerman has felt the Hall’s menace long before she happens upon a dead man bearing the Thornleigh arms. The grim discovery cries out for justice, and she persuades reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther to her cause, much against his better judgement; he knows a dark path lies before those who stray from society’s expectations. That same day, Alexander Adams is killed in a London music shop, leaving his young children orphaned. His death will lead back to Sussex, and an explosive secret that has already destroyed one family and threatens many others.
Hell Fire by Ann Aguirre – Urban Fantasy (Book 2 in the Corine Solomon series)
Blurb: As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and know its history. It’s too bad she can’t seem to forget her own. With her ex-boyfriend Chance in tow—lending his particularly supernatural brand of luck—Corine journeys back home to Kilmer, Georgia, in order to discover the truth behind her mother’s death and the origins of her “gift.”
But while trying to uncover the secrets in her past, Corine and Chance find that something is rotten in the state of Georgia. Just a few miles away, no one seems to know Kilmer exists. And inside the town borders there are signs of a dark curse affecting the town and all its residents—and it can only be satisfied with death…
Her Best Friend by Sarah Mayberry – Harlequin Super Romance
Blurb: What’s a girl to do when she’s secretly in love with a friend and he’s married to someone else? She gets over it. That’s what Amy Parker has done. Rather than lose her best bud Quinn Whitfield with an ill-timed, crazy confession of affection, she’s taken the smart route. She’s eased away from him. Just enough to get past the unrequited bits. And you know, it’s working.
Until the day Quinn announces he’s now single. That’s right. He’s single. And he wants to hang out. With her. Get reconnected the way they used to be.
Oh, this is so not good for Amy’s equilibrium. Daily doses of Quinn remind her of everything she loves about him. But if he’s free…and she’s free…well, maybe the time has come for one of those crazy confessions.
Do you ever go through phases of boredom with a particular genre? Which books are you looking forward to next month?
{ 12 comments }
Wonderful post. I do go through phases with books and genres of books also with authors. I don’t have particular books that I’ve mapped out for the next month. I take it as it comes.
know exactly how you feel. I’ve been experiencing my own romance drought lately. Nothing really feels interesting to me, but like you, I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy some once I find the time to get to them. Time is definitely part of the problem, lack of it.
I call this crop rotation reading. I experience it usually at least once or twice a year and I’ll shift most of my reading interest towards one or two genres only. It’s not intentional, but it’s usually pointless to try and resist. If I forced myself to read a romance right now I just know that wouldn’t be any fun.
Warning! Whine ahead!
I must admit I have a similar problem – I am completely back in slumpville on the romance reading. I am finding myself becoming a complete negative nancy and pick pick picking every time I pick a book up.
(I mean seriously most of the heroes a very similar when it comes down to it… even across genres. They big and alpha. 
)
Though opposite to you, I am more of a heroine girl – the hero not my main interest. But I am just not connecting lately.
I love urban fantasy, but I am even struggling a bit there, as I am a reader who wants my resolutions, and I am not good at following series, and get bored easily with them… and blooming everything in UF is a darn series. (Have also come across some heroines lately that bug me to all end, why do they have to have major weaknesses?? The heroes never blasted have such crippling ones!)
Oh I feels better for getting that out. Sorry for the massive whine. LOL
Oh yes Sarah, I know exactly where you are coming from. Sometimes I get in these moods when I want a lovely romance, one focusing on two people falling in love, and right now, I’ve noticed I’ve been more affected by the YA books I’ve read than the adult romances. Don’t get me wrong, there have been exceptions, but many romances, especially contemps, seem to veer away from the romantic angle, like it’s not cool to write about a love story. Hot, frequent sex, yes, but the relationship seems to have fallen by the wayside. I don’t see a lot of verbal interaction between the characters.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. It’s all cyclical, and eventually I get bored and move on. I’ll get over it.
And I definitely want that Sarah Mayberry book!
My particular genre addiction has always been thrillers/detective fiction/mystery. Over the years I have gone through some very fallow periods when I just can’t find thrillers that thrill me. Many of the modern writers take the reader into too much gratuitous and gory detail about torture and death – don’t get me wrong, I’m not overly squeamish but it can be that less-is-more in terms of making a real impact. Often, the mystery dissolves towards the end and it’s a real pleasure when I find a writer who can sustain the suspense. Fortunately, I’ve now found a series that ticks all the boxes – thank you, Sarah, for the Jo Nesbo books! I’ve just put a bookmark into Page 1 of ‘Nemesis’ and am trying to resist the urge to sit on my ass all afternoon reading it.
Arghh! Yes. Not romance novels, obviously, since I’ve only (knowingly) read one (and unknowingly four more, according to Amazon).
But I have sort of fallen out of love with my main interest, which is Fantasy literature, and to a certain extent Science Fiction. So many fantasy authors try to live up to Tolkien (knowingly or not), and they inevitably fail. With the possible exception of George R. R. Martin, who unfortunately fails at finishing his darn series.
And nothing I have read in Science Fiction recently came even close to Dan Simmons’ Hyperion. Somehow, I’m scared that nothing will.
So I play. DragonAge is a fantasy role playing game, and it narrates better than any fantasy book I’ve read in ages. And the same goes for MassEffect 2, which is more compelling and gripping than all the SciFi books I’ve read since Simmons.
From the 20-30 odd books I may buy or receive from a publisher or authors in a given month, less than 1/4 interests me.
Still love my romance, but I am more choosier in what I read.
I’m going through a romance drought, too, and have been for a while. It’s sad, really, because I still love romance. It just seems like most romance novels these days aren’t romantic, if that makes sense.
And I’d say the vast majority of romances that I loved were not in romance novels.
@Kwana: I’m a bit of a cheat when it comes to my lists of books for the following month. All they mean is that these are the new releases I’m interested in reading, not that I’ll actually read them in April.
@KMont: “I call this crop rotation reading.”
I love it! I’m definitely borrowing this phrase.
@Edie: A group whine can be so cathartic at times. I also find it interesting that so many of us seem to be in a slump simultaneously. I can’t even blame it on Winter as we live in different hemispheres!
@Stacy ~: I love Sarah Mayberry’s writing. She excels at creating an authentic world for her characters and her dialogue rocks. It might be her experience as a script writer.
@Trish: Uncharacteristically for me, I’m actually pleased to have so little time to devote to reading at the moment as it means I can savour Nemesis for a little longer.
@Christian: That’s interesting about current Fantasy games being more original than the books being published nowadays. The only gaming I’m familiar with is the unplugged variety. You’ve *almost* convinced me to give one a go.
Speaking of you reading romance….don’t you owe me a review of Lord Perfect?
@katiebabs: “Still love my romance, but I am more choosier in what I read.”
That sums up my attitude exactly.
@heidenkind: “And I’d say the vast majority of romances that I loved were not in romance novels.”
Keishon and I are obviously not alone in thinking this!
I go through dry spells from time to time, too, but they tend to be more related to a subgenre rather than the genre of romance as a whole. The worst was the historical romance drought when I was in law school. At the time, these were the main romances I read, but I finally got so sick of Regency settings that I just couldn’t stand it – and there weren’t many alternatives.
I’ve since branched out more, though, so when I get a little tired of something, I’ll just move subgenres a bit.
Does anyone else think that part of this ‘getting sick of a genre’ is because of the formulaic nature of many of our novels? I can only speak about romance truly, that being the genre in which I write, but there seems to be an increasing tendency for ALL romances to be alpha male with obligatory ‘flaw’ meets allegedly kick-ass (but in reality dumb as tree-bark) heroine, has sex, decides to be in love, gets over obligatory ‘problem’, become couple. That gets tired pretty quickly.
@Lynn Spencer: Changing genres and subgenres definitely helps me when I find myself in a reading slump.
@Jane Lovering: “Does anyone else think that part of this ‘getting sick of a genre’ is because of the formulaic nature of many of our novels?”
Ironically, the very formulae which attract me to genre fiction put me off if I’ve read too many in a row. There’s a certain comfort in knowing what to expect from a particular type of book, but that in and of itself can lead to boredom. My main beef with romance novels these days is the lack of variety in the settings of historical romances. I find the settings and romances depicted in some of the historical mystery series I follow to be far more compelling than many of the historical romances on the market today.