I am in the midst of reading a well known author who is well known for writing bawdy and very unbelievable sexual romances. I really do think they should be marketed as comedies because they are so laughable. Her heroes are the ultimate rakes, well, really total men sluts, and her heroines have no clue what a penis is. "How will that ever fit?", they always seem to ask.But I am quite appalled by what I am reading at the moment. This romance has incest galore and I am having major flashbacks of the good old days of Beatrice Small and VC Andrews. This romance has a villainous brother and sister duo who are lovers and soooo evil-
*cue the lighting and thunder!*
Darling brother likes to strangle his dear sister during sex. Suddenly their two half-brothers pop out of the blue and the one brother must marry either his half-sister or one of his cousins that reside there! Bleck.
Now we all know this is not the norm in our romances we read. Even though I mainly read for the relationship between the hero and heroine I am always interested in a way a author writes a father and daughter relationship or a sibling one. One author who does this perfectly is Julia Quinn with her Bridgerton series. I loved to read about this family because they all seemed normal and cared deeply for each other. But in the majority of the romances I read, the family seems to take a back seat to the actions of the hero and the heroine. Julia gives us a good balance.
I am a fan of the absentminded father and the loving daughter who takes care of him. The same goes with a sister and brother relationship. I love Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series, especially the antics of the Bowman sisters, Lillian and Daisy because they seems so real to me, much like the relationship I have with my own sister. Meghann (little sister) and I would get into scrapes and trouble, much like the Bowman's did. Meghann was truly my best friend, much like Lillian and Daisy are.
Perhaps I am a bit whimsical because something happen this weekend with my own family. My little sister is getting married in January and everything is finally coming together with the wedding preparations. I have come to the conclusion that our relationship will change, so much so from when we were children, sleeping in the same bedroom talking late into the night. Now Meghann will have a husband, a house and the possibility of having her own children, perhaps two daughters that will talk late into the night when they should be sleeping.
Another thing I did this weekend was go bowling with my father. My father and I do not see eye to eye. We are so different in everything we do. He still doesn't understand why I read "those novels" and why I am on my laptop for all hours typing away as I visit various blogs and write book reviews. But yesterday he and I spent a few hours together because he is joining a bowling league and needed some practice. We actually bonded and I was reminded of a time when I looked at my father and thought he was the best thing in the world. For an afternoon I was Daddy's Little Girl again.
When I talk to people about my own reading preferences, I try to tell them that the romance genre is not all about sex, there is so much more to this world I love to read about. It comes down to relationships. It doesn't necessarily have to be the love between a man and a woman, but also family, friends and the love they all have for each other. By reading these books, I come to the realization how important my family and friends are to me and the love I have for them all. *G*
Can anyone recommend any books with great family relationships in them? I am in the mood for some feel good family love. (And definitely not the "bleck" one I mentioned!)
Katiebabs
