Reader Favorites – The characteristics & tropes that make up our favorite books…

22 hours ago 4

BOOKS THAT “DO IT” FOR US: It’s often similar for many of us (since we are all into the same genre) however, there are touches that connect each of us differently to a book. We’ve called it our “book catnip”: the tropes that attract us, and the blurbs that gives us jolts. If you could come across your most perfect book, what is it about the book, that made you love it so much? What are your favorite things that hook you, to a book?

I came across the old conversation that still rings so true, today. We have similar tastes in books, we all love romance on different levels, and yet, sometimes a book hits us just right, and yet… not for someone else in our crew.

What does it for you, in books?

bev: My Angst level usually medium to low, but occasionally the opposite. Swoon level high, but sloooow burn. Heat level like angst can go either way. The emotional burn is more important to me, lol. I like the heat but those scenes can also be what I have to get through to get to the good stuff.

R. Renee: My dream books are: medium-high angst, appropriate heat level for book (with cringe-less words), high swoon, high heartbreak with HEA (ugly cry=bonus), no alpha, no teenagers (unless briefly). I think that about does it.

…broken relationships that play out on page is catnip for me. I look back at several of my all time faves and this seems to be a theme. It’s making my soul happy while crushing it. Is there a better feeling than that? 🤣

bev: R, no alphas?

R. Renee: They’ve been getting on my nerves lately. Looking at my 5 stars, the only alphas I have since Christian Grey are from Gabriel’s Inferno which I LOVED and absolutely can not tell you why, and Captive in the Dark but I don’t really thing he qualifies. I did like the Sylvia Day series and the Stark Trilogy, but that was a long time ago when I was jonesing for 50 Shades. I’ve changed since then. I wouldn’t turn down an alpha book in he turns all cute and cuddly really fast, if he doesn’t, no thanks!

Jan: In my ideal books, I look for an intelligent h I can respect, with integrity and self-respect; an alpha H with intelligence as well as hotness factor, also with integrity. Not too much angst, but of course has to be some conflict or misunderstanding (duh), slow-burn is OK; some swoony sexytimes but not OTT or ridiculous. Probably one of the most important things for me is GOOD CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. If I get hooked on believable characters, I’m in. And HEA, please. No CH! And I avoid cancer, death of child, abortion.

Cheryl: Jan, pretty much sums up what I look for in a book. Strong, intelligent, feisty, not meek or walked over, non-virgin, h; tough, maybe emotionally isolated, intelligent, sports/rock star/actor, i.e. someone in charge-type H. Most importantly, a WELL-WRITTEN, slow-burn story, with angst/conflict that just gives me the “feels” from the beginning, smexy times and a HEA. No YA, high school, teenager stories. Like R, I have a 15 and 18 year old- that’s enough YA, don’t need to read about it too!

Maryse: …I always fear when I highly recommend one, that some of you will assume it’s an… iffy ending. But you guys KNOW I love the sweet romances too (like the Elle Kennedy books), so you can’t assume that I’m always in full Amy-angst-crazy-twists book-twin mode. 😉 Although, I often am. *snort* 😛

…my book trope “catnip”. I LOVE jerk-heroes that eventually redeem themselves, but lots of work for it. 😉 In books. Only and always in BOOKS. Just putting it out there so the Universe doesn’t get any ideas. LOL!!!

Lisa: Cheating, marital strife, psych thriller. That’s catnip for sure.

Joy: I love older man/younger woman theme. It’s my catnip, meeeeeow. Its odd because I’m the older woman that married a younger man, lol.

D.G.: My catnip…bully and arranged marriage.

Leslie M: What I love about this blog is even if we have differing tastes/opinions it is great hearing everyone’s comments. It is so helpful when looking for recs and/or weeding out ones that just won’t work for us.