Book Buying Bias

Think the grocery store is a great place to meet men?

Hunky interstellar fugitive, aisle 5.

With outrageously false accusations piling up against her famous political family and an ex-fiancé in hot water determined to take her down with him, the last thing Jana Jasper needs is more trouble--especially man trouble. But when she heads to the grocery store for an ice cream fix, not only does the muscled hunk in the frozen foods section ranting about spaceships and invasions look crazy, he looks... familiar.

Cavin of Far Star has never forgotten the girl he met during his weeks spent on that quaint little world, planet Earth, the girl who didn't believe he was real. And now he'll risk his future to save her. All she has to do is take him to her leader. Simple enough plan--although Jana isn't so easily convinced. Hell-bent on charming his way past her defenses, he's determined to stay one step ahead of the galaxy's most feared assassin--and may just capture his favorite Earthling's heart in the process.

*taken from Susan Grant's website*

I often wonder how many good books I'm missing because I have certain biases when it comes to the books I buy. You're Planet or Mine? is the perfect example. I don't go for the cutsey pun title books. To me they scream 'chick lit' which I really don't care to read. And why, I don't know since I've never read one. I also don't care for the cutsey cartoon covers. I seem them on the shelves and on other blogs and they just leave me kind of meh. So when I saw this book a while ago, I figured I'd just skip it. Cutsey title, cutsey cover - pass. But then I reread Once a Pirate and was again reminded how much I love Susan Grant's writing. I've read and loved every book she's written, from her time travel/pirate to her futuristics and both her entries in the 2176 series. So why wasn't I chomping at the bit for the release of this one? Book bias - that's why.
But then I visited her website after finishing up OaP and saw the blurb for this one. Visitor from another planet visits Earth and meets girl from Earth he can't forget. I read another book recently with the same kind of premise - Parallel Attraction by Dierdre Knight - and loved it. Although it was a serious book and Your Planet or Mine sounds more comedic, still they both look interesting. So now my interest is very piqued and I can add this one to my Eagerly Anticipating list.
I've seen readers say they don't really like a certain genre so they don't really read books in it - hell, I'm like that with chick-lit. But as far as other genres, I'm willing to try anything; even vampire although they aren't my cupa. But just like me and chick-lit, I wonder if other readers have really tried other genres or whether they have book bias just like I do.
So - my resolution to get over book bias is to keep a more open mind about genres I say I won't read. Up until now whenever I've let a book bias go, it's been a good thing. I used to read only historicals, then I slowly let in medievals, westerns, futuristics and romantic suspense, all with excellent results. I'm working first person books. Didn't think I'd ever read them, then I discovered the Stephanie Plum books. I was most annoyed when I heard that To Die For by Linda Howard was first person, but I loved that one too. So now - it's the chick-lit.

'til later