Hello friends!
My name is Belinda, and I’m a sucker for a good romantic subplot.
I’m not a big reader of romance, but give me a book of any other genre, with a romantic subplot and I’m set. The moment a potential love interest is introduced, my interest increases.
However, I also prefer a story where the love interests don’t wait until the last second to confess their feelings and get together. I don’t want just tension; I also want to see the romantic leads interact together as true partners. I don’t see this often enough, but that preference has undoubtedly leaked over into my writing.
There are, of course, exceptions for me. For example, two of the characters in Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows have excellent tension throughout the books and clearly have affection for each other, however, they never even share a kiss. Still, I love them as a pairing and think their dynamic is wonderful.
As far as romance tropes go, I have been very over love triangles for a while, and I’d like to think I’m not alone in that. Their persistence, especially in YA, has worn on me over the years to the point where encountering it in a book is a turn off. I think the last time I encountered a love triangle that didn’t make me frown was in Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes series, and that triangle is very short-lived and well-done.
I’m also super done with toxic relationships being portrayed as romantic. The alpha-male archetype is not my cup of tea. If your male romantic lead is possessive and jealous, I’m out. If your female romantic lead is anything like a manic-pixie-dream-girl, I’m done.
Maybe I’m just picky when it comes to my romantic subplots. I know this is reading like a list of complaints about romance in fiction, and maybe I should just shove it and read my damn books. And obviously everyone has different tastes. Some people are all about that insta-love, others want the slow-burn. And those are all valid opinions to have.
I’ll just go sit quietly and write my books with romantic subplots exactly to my liking, instead of rambling. 😀
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What I wrote this week: Draft 4, Eva’s arc (finished at last!); Draft 4, Ramint’s arc.
What I read this week: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Soulstar by CL Polk.
Belinda McCauley 