It’s a short one this week, as I’m still in a bit of a post-Thanksgiving stupor, and I thought I’d throw together a few of my romance opinions in the hopes of having some fun and a lively discussion in the comments. Of course, these are all deeply subjective. One of my favorite things about the romance genre is that there’s truly something for everyone and what’s delightful for me might be dreary for someone else.
So here we go:
The ideal length for a romance novel is between 320 and 370 (-ish) pages. If it’s less than 320 pages, I frequently find myself wanting twenty or thirty more pages to really tease out all the character dynamics and develop the central relationship. If it starts approaching 400 pages, the pacing is probably a tad too leisurely for me. If there’s a really meaty secondary plot, like a mystery to be solved or a kingdom to be saved, I’ll allow a heftier page count but I have to admit that I’ve eyed many a giant contemporary romance with suspicion.
If I’m being promised a marriage of convenience, the marriage itself has to happen early on. And if they’re madly making out before said marriage, it’s not really a marriage of convenience. Give me the slow burn! The pining! The exquisite build of feelings!
Miscommunication is fine, if it’s true to the characters. People don’t always say what they mean. Or they say it the wrong way. If the author’s successfully developed their main characters, the ways in which they need to grow, and how they’re going to work through those issues before they get to their HEA, I’ll believe it.
If it fits with the tone, why not have a steamy scene just for fun? I read all across the heat scale in romance and the most important thing to me is that the steam level matches the overall feel of the book, including how physically aware the main characters are of each other.
Just once, I would like to read a m/f romance where the heroine is taller than the hero. Ideally one where she is a statuesque, towering goddess and he is a short king. Any and all recommendations welcome.
Currently reading: Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee. I’m only about 30 pages in but the 19th-century-novel transported to the 1990s vibes are strong.
What’s bringing me joy lately:
A gorgeous Thanksgiving walk through Central Park, with the light slanting through the leaves in an absurdly stunning way.
Visiting a new bookstore! I stopped by Yu & Me Books in their temporary location at the Market Line and they have both an excellently curated selection of titles and a very cute space.
End of year book lists. My favorite is the NPR Books We Love, which has 381 (!) recommendations in a pleasingly browsable format.
I adored Free Food for Millionaires! And I'm sorry to disappoint but I simply can't argue too hard with any of your opinions ;-) I'm ALL for those steamy scenes but you're right that they definitely have to fit the tone ~ there's nothing more awkward for me than to read a chaste romance where they never even thought sexy things and then the last few pages are all-out bodily fluids and orifices. I feel embarrassed, like I don't know the characters well enough for them to be displaying all that! But when a book includes bedroom vibes all the way through? Bring it on! Okay, wait, one caveat. I need a story in ADDITION to the bedroom stuff AND I need the sex scenes to be relatively short. When those scenes take up more of the book than the actual story, I call it erotica and not romance.
I am with you on the length of a romance novel, if it's over 400 pages I can't even commit!