Post by Samantha K on Jun 22, 2017 18:05:06 GMT -7
Lynne Graham used to be my favorite Harlequin Presents author but something happened to her stories after the 90's and she became hit and miss for me. It seemed like every book felt like the last one and they became boring almost. It's so sad when I think of some of her more interesting books like
Samantha K. I used to feel exactly the same way. Its been a while since I checked if she has a new book out. We should mention here if there's a new one that is as good as the books she wrote in the 90s.
Yes, exactly. If there's something as good I would want to read it.
I think for me part of the problem was that all her later books had basically the same story with a mistress-to-wife theme. Her 90's books seemed more original.
I've been saying this for years. LG has changed her writing style.
Her 90s stories:
* dialogue driven * many memorable, special scenes, among many others just think of The Spanish Groom It is packed with memorable scenes! * good at SHOWING us through the hero's actions, DIALOGUE and tone of voice how the hero feels about our heroine * we were not in the hero's head until the end of the book, but we knew how he felt about the heroine because LG had shown us thanks to the above mentioned * different themes
Her post 2000 stories
* we start to get a glimpse into the hero's thoughts at the beginning of 2000. I don't mind a little insight, which is why I still enjoy her books from the beginning of 2000. But when inner thoughts and lack of decent dialogue becameher main writing style about 2003 she started to go downhill for me * we are TOLD, NOT SHOWN how they fall in love * same themes are being recycled over and over again * "psychoanalysis" of the hero and heroine = inner thoughts
These days I find myself skimming her books, which is a shame. Because of that, I don't spend money on her books any longer. I borrow them. But, I haven't given up on her yet. I keep hoping she will surprise me with another great book.
I had to check my goodreads to see how I rated her latest books and I found 3 that I rated 4 stars:
* friends to lovers theme * tycoon heroine in a business battle with the hero * beauty and the beast with a disfigured and grumpy hero * another hero suffering from unrequited love
Post by Samantha K on Jun 23, 2017 18:28:02 GMT -7
Jenny - I agree with you. You know, I never thought about the inner dialogue with the H post 2000 and how the inner dialogue between the two has taken over the story but your right! Then add the same theme being recycled over and over and it's just boring. I used to look forward to her new releases so much that I subscribed to Harlequin just so I could get my hands on her books earlier and now I don't buy any of her books. It's sad. Thanks for your suggestion. I did read those three you mentioned. 😀
As for what theme I'd like her to write - I loved The Vengeful Husband. I loved how the hero disguised himself and pretended to be an average but super-hot guy! I loved that they married and she had zero clue he was this mega rich dude and that he basically entrapped her. It's something I don't see much in romances so it was fresh, exciting and funny.
to me, her earlier books had good scenes, h's usually had something very good to say and they said it in a maximum impact manner, H's were overall good ...
Later on, all her H's became nematodes and h's doormats .... her H's were too badly behaving ones and in some, I couldn't see any redemption ...
I still read all her books - now her H's have become kind of beta and she tries to be politically correct ... she tries to have educated h's too ... her newer H's, while not nematodes, are not what her old H's were - alpha with a sweet personality that fumbles a bit but comes through as a complete H ...
now her H's have become kind of beta and she tries to be politically correct .
Yes, exactly. I noticed that most authors changed drastically after the year 2000. It's weird because they were successful before writing books non-pc heroes so I don't understand why they had to change.
Do you think age matters here? I kind of find it hard to relate to a self-made 27 - 28 year old alpha - tycoon H .... So I can never take them seriously, esp. if they are portrayed as bed-hoppers. I view them as immature young men with very high IQ's
I kind of find it hard to relate to a self-made 27 - 28 year old alpha - tycoon H .... So I can never take them seriously, esp. if they are portrayed as bed-hoppers. I view them as immature young men with very high IQ's
I do too. If they are a self-made tycoon, it bothers me a lot if they are younger than 35. Honestly, though, I would prefer all HP H's to be 35 or older.
Yeah, it's like they are a bunch of very brainy boys; with all the bed-hopping entitlement that immaturity brings ...
I like H's who are a bit older and while they are all alpha, they also have a certain maturity/calmness and sophistication that comes with having lived life rather than the sophisticated veneer the younger H's have due to living in the fast lane
I like H's who are a bit older and while they are all alpha, they also have a certain maturity/calmness and sophistication that comes with having lived life rather than the sophisticated veneer the younger H's have due to living in the fast lane
Yes exactly. For HP, I think it's essential or the story isn't as good. I have to pretend the H is older and if his age is ever referenced, it jars me out of the story.
I'm not saying I don't mind a ym in some books. I do like the ow/ym sub-genre of romance but I don't like it in HP.
True ... for me HP's mean mature, alpha male H's .... I so wish Michelle Reid would write one of her signature books .. I always found her H's very yummy!