4/5, The Steam Factor I think they're more fun than alpha males or sporty jocks. The sexy times are hot and frequent, but my favorite part was that role play was introduced in a way that made it feel natural and normal. Sidney Bristol has a series called Gone Geek. Decent listen on audible as well. ( Log Out /  There’s a part where Gracie says that James has always used a condom. No worries, no lectures here. The Romance Factor Alt Chapter One From The Broken Trail. Hey I know this is an old comment thread but I read both the books you mentioned and loved them both could you recommend me some more just like them. I adore the awkward fumbling, the not being sure how to talk to the heroine. One of the things this author does really well is reveal things as the story progresses. I’m not trying to be a crusader for realistic characters in Romance. … At the beginning of the book, I thought there was potential for it to drag on, especially because the first quarter of the book is really a lot of James and Gracie looking at each other from across various rooms. This message that your worth, your awesomeness, is directly related to how attractive you are to others is rampant, no question, but what about media created specifically by women? In fact, his whole ‘thing’ is that he’s the guy girls look over in favor of the alpha holes. The Good Stuff Unzipped by Lauren Blakely is kinda like that. Final Thoughts I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. She has to wear glasses and be a geek. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. And the excuse that Romance is escapism and therefore gets a pass – uh…no. While their whole relationship as that sweet vibe, I absolutely loved what Magnus did to show Edie that he really loved her. But previous to that, there was a scene in which I noticed he didn’t. Magnus is of the mind that Edie is grouchy and miserable, so he’s not happy when his brother coerces him into showing interest in Edie so he can date her sister. I love our genre and it’s cute, pretty, and gorgeous girls, it’s alpha bikers, and billionaire businessmen. I doubt if I’d misread his description in the previous book. I liked the change in dynamic between Gracie and her friends who are newly in relationships. But it’s the slow progression of them trying to deny their feelings and failing miserably to the reader while getting all sorts of angsty and hurt that the other one doesn’t feel more for them. In this case, I think Jennifer Dawson not only does the trope right, but she gets some of the more genuine aspects of the couple’s relationship right as well. There are a few, but usually the heroine is shorter than they are. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. We cut the cord on broadcast a while back so it was binge-watching series on Netflix and Hulu. We have reviews, book clubs, trope discussions, lots of recommendations, and more! Show me the book with an unattractive hero and heroine? For all we emphasize inner beauty, we extol the outer. I’d like to think that romance, a genre already so diverse, can handle some ugly heroes and heroines. We cut the cord on broadcast a while back so it was binge-watching series on Netflix and Hulu. Nerd in Shining Armor (The Nerd) by Vicki Lewis Thompson. It’s more likely I’m getting characters crossed considering how much reading I’ve done this year (I’ve already finished my 2015 Goodreads Challenge). Beth Yarnall writes romantic suspense, mysteries, and the occasional hilarious Tweet. A game developer agrees to go out on a date with a bitchy cat behaviorist so his brother can date her sister, not expecting he’d turn into a cat person and have feelings for her along the way. Also, the roleplay scenes were so fun, especially the cheerleader/horror movie one, which had a sweet element to it as well. It's dorky and kinda cute, steamy and not angsty. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. I haven’t done it yet, but seriously…one of these days I’m going to go back and read the first ones in the series. It has BDSM but it's the heroine who's the domme. I never really got why Bianca was spending time with Magnus’ brother. One-Sentence Synopsis Cookies help us deliver our Services. Actually, hyperbole aside, there are novels out there who have unattractive heroines, but all too often they are paired with some hot, Greek-god of a hero and it’s his notice that changes everything. You may want to try The Guy On The Right by Kate Stewart. And the scene in question was detailed and intense, so unless he wrapped it earlier, I’m not even sure when he had the chance. Amateur writer. Nothin’ But a Gold Digger A nerdy business man and wannabe fighter convinces the object of his attraction to enter in a no strings attached relationship with him. Even though the title of this book should have given it away, it took me a couple chapters into this book to realize it was a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. 5/5. It’s not until later in the book we found some serious things about JL and we get a better look at just how toxic Enzo’s family is. I’m more interested in starting a conversation about the media we as women create and consume. Bringing the Shy Romantic Lists to a close, let's take a look at Shy Heroines of Contemporary Romance. Intelligent female character? The Romance Factor The content we consume overpowers our best efforts and encouraging both young women and men to see their value in the things that matter, not in outward appearances or arbitrary measures of success. She has to have a weakness for bad men, be smoking hot, and like to get naked – a lot. A baker and a professor used to fighting with and insulting each other start to realize that beneath the animosity, there’s a mutual attraction…even if they know they’re wrong for each other. It makes for a satisfying story, but I hate the message it unintentionally sends; you’re nothing unless a hot guy sees you as valuable. A few months ago our house was battling multiple head colds, strep throat, stomach viruses, basically we were The House of Sick. I loved that this felt real, that the repercussions of an encounter had both sexual and emotional effects that the author explored through James and Gracie. Change ), Bonus! Sadly no. No spoilers, but it was such a great thing to do and a great idea in general, that I want it to be a real thing (it involves cats, of course). Lots of sexy talk, sexy times, and naughtiness, perfectly choreographed and written around Edie’s bad knee. Also, the story delivered a right hook into my feels that I hadn’t even seen coming. The Pain of Siblings ( Log Out /  I’m just concerned about the message we send when it’s always two incredibly attractive people hooking up. Even though the characters are trying to convince themselves that they’d never work together, the things they do for each other are sweet. Vision in White by Nora Roberts. The male is an English teacher who's a little dorky. Accomplished nerd. We’ve got to cut that out and help the generation coming up never start it. 5/5, The Steam Factor This book brought the sex in high doses. 5/5. Might be fun. Well played, Miss Halston. The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir (P.S. The world doesn’t see her worth until the hot guy falls in love with her and proves it. Been awhile since I've worked the needles, but it feels good to be knitting again. She doesn’t want sympathy, but she’s a little bitter about the whole thing, especially since her boyfriend at the time of the accident dumped her. Oh… and while I’m here, I might as well tell you that I crushed on the author the whole way through, too. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Nice guys  who get the girl. There is a subtle submissive/dominant vibe through the story, and when it culminates, there is a lot of emotion that goes with it. Maybe try 'Love and other words' by Christina Lauren? I doubt if I’d misread his description in the previous book. I think it’s a situation most women can relate to, so it feels real, and the reader doesn’t have to stretch the imagination to empathize. Once her best friends are in committed relationships, Gracie gets jealous, as she’s the single one who doesn’t have that in common with the attached ones. There are precious few that don’t fit this mold. Final Thoughts I came on to recommend it - I finished it an hour ago and am IN LOVE with Simon. That's a long list of reading. Besides her love of cats, she has a bad knee as a result of an accident. To be honest, neither of the siblings were really likable and were both highly annoying and self-centered. Magnus is an alpha nerd who ends up falling for Edie and realizes that what they were doing in the first place was cruel. The Romance Factor While it starts out as sex, it evolves into much more, and the progression was well paced, angsty, and gave me some of those awww moments I love so much. Hey now – you’re just about to click away, convinced I’m about to go on a tear and this is going to get all preachy. Women get the ‘hot babe’ treatment in visual media on a regular basis and it stinks because tween and teen girls have their eyes glued to that screen and the message being pumped into their heads is that there is almost no place for the plain girl. It was hinted strongly that she was a gold digger, and maybe wanted some time away from taking care of Edie, but I was never entirely sure of her motives. Last year I was very humbug about the holidays, but this…. Being rather incapacitated we vegged out in front of the TV. There are geek books for sure, but often they transform into alpha dominant assholes in the bedroom for reasons I don't want to think about. And hair – long or short he’s either got to have it or he’s got to intentionally shave it because his skull is just that gorgeous. Shelter Mountain (A Virgin River Novel) by Robyn Carr . Who are your favorite shy heroes? level 1. Has great chemistry with the h. Oh, he’s also a duke! Short heroes? I can't wait for the Scentsy Holiday Collection next week! Romance is a wide and varied genre and contemporary romance in particular deals with heavy stuff on a regular basis, cancer, child-abuse, addiction, being just a few topics. For a full synopsis, see this book’s Goodreads page. Maybe we can turn a few of those on their head. This one is a bit different (because it’s not a romance book) but I FELL IN LOVE with the super-smart, super-hilarious, but definitely nerdy hero. I like nerds or geeks. ( Log Out /  Seems I can’t break out of that mold either. We all need a little love in our lives, and one way to get it is in the pages of swoon-worthy novels.With the help of Goodreads reviews, we've found the most popular romance books ever written, based on the high ratings from hundreds of thousands of bibliophiles. One-Sentence Synopsis The Good Stuff One-Sentence Synopsis When I started this book, I was thinking the hero was somebody different. Book Review: The Taming of the Billionaire by Jessica Clare, Book Review: Destined for a King by Ashlyn Macnamara, Book Review: For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne, Book Review: My Fair Princess by Vanessa Kelly. He’s very sweet and definitely one of my favorite heroes. JL is cute and quirky, and even though she’s built some personal walls, I liked that she tried to bring Enzo out of his stuffy businessman personality to show him how to relax and have fun. Another entertaining book in this series with more cameos from familiar faces. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, it's all fun and games until someone is compromised, The beings are fictional, my emotions are real. Self-manicure night to help me start the week off fancy! Not on the small screen it appears. But those scenes really just built the anticipation until they finally got their groove on, and the story moved well and felt real. And how about what we do to the guys? While miscommunication in a book can be annoying if not handled well, I could relate to it in the context of this story and completely understood the thought processes behind it.