So. I started with Eloisa James’s latest, Seven Minutes In Heaven, but ended up DNF-ing it about 50-60 pages in. I find I have little or almost no patience with most of the insta-lust stories out there. I mean I’m fine with you falling in lust with someone as soon as you set eyes on them (though really? but then again, who am I to say that that’s not a thing that happens a lot) but when your entire interaction is predicated on this lustiness then I HAVE NO PATIENCE WITH YOU CHARACTERS. OR YOU, AUTHORS. ESPECIALLY, YOU, AUTHORS.
I LIKED the premise—a successful lady running a governess business, and a mad-scientist hero who is born on the wrong side of the blanket. But when EVERYTHING BECOMES ABOUT hoo-boy, I can’t take my eyes off those ginormous man-and-lady-parts, then I AM DONE.
It’s not like insta-lust can’t be done right. I also happened to read Simona Ahrnstedt’s All In a while back, and though I was not as wild about the last quarter of the story as I was for the initial three-fourths, I definitely liked this insta-lust story!
David and Natalia have sizzling chemistry, and sleep with each other pretty early on in the book, but their physical relationship feels like an extension of the intellectual chemistry that they share. Their attraction to each other is of course about the physical but also so much more! (I don’t think there’s anything wrong with just the physical either, just that I find it utterly and completely uninteresting to read about) There’s enough meat to their interactions, right from the start, that I WANT to read more about their COMBUSTIBLE ATTRACTION to each other!
I’m someone who usually skips the sex scenes in romance novels. Generally speaking, there’s not enough of a build-up of the relationship itself for me to feel interested in reading the sex scenes. And I get that sometimes authors use those scenes to further the relationship but I don’t always find that to be the case. (Marriage of convenience in hist-roms fits this bill though, I think). HOWEVER, the scenes in THIS STORY?! I read through every letter, sentence, and smoking hot paragraph, believe you me!
So, have you guys read either of these books? What did you think? Which side of the insta-lust line do you fall on? Or are you more zen-like with insta-lust than I am apparently capable of being? (Confession: I’m more of a slow-burn girl!)
Nooks & Crannies - ’cus they’re perfect for a book lover 
There’s more “meat” to their interactions?
I’m with you; I have little patience for it.
Every once in a while, though, I’ve picked up a romance novel because I’m in the mood for something that tells more than shows.
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lol. good catch! I had NOT noticed that!
And oh, tell, tell which are you favorite tell novels? Would love to know and try them out!
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My favorites are by Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb, the “Death” series about a cop named Eve Dallas and her (eventually) husband Roarke. They’re great fun, set in the future.
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Confession: I dislike pretty much every single Eloisa James novel I have ever tried to read….’tried’ being the operative word. She even did a Fairytales series (which is totally my catnip) and I HATED it; which is NUTS, because hating fairytale re-imaginings goes against my moral code…
Also: I am TOTALLY with you on the Insta-lust rant…I think I read Georgette Heyer and vintage Harlequins far too young to be able to reconcile with it. Obviously there are people out there who like it…I mean, they seem to write so many of them….and occasionally I find a well-done one.
But all I am thinking of when it’s 11% into the story, and they’re already at it like rabbits??? Eww…um germs and viruses people – GERMS AND VIRUSES!!!! HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY NOT WORRY ABOUT THAT???! I’m worrying about it and I am only the READER. Kinda takes all the romance out of it….
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I’m with you–Germs & WORMS! 😀
and ooh, vintage harlequins sound lovely!
and ha! I KNOW you love fairy-tale retellings, so wow! I think E.J. is hit and miss for me too, mostly miss at that. I think I enjoyed some of her earlier Essex sisters stories, and the Duke of Villier’s (?) story which was actually quite fun!
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Ooh, gosh, hard to know. I think insta-lust and rapid love can be done well, and I also think that authors lean on those tropes too often, sometimes to the detriment of the book. Victoria Dahl does insta-lust excellently if you’re ever in the mood for contemporaries!
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Ooh, I remember reading her years, and years ago! Maybe I’ll give it a shot again! thanks for the recco!
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Slow-burn girl. That made me smile. 🙂
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😀
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Yeah, I think I’m a slow-burn girl too – I like the chemistry, the spark, but I don’t need to go straight to the Wham Bam parts right away! Let it build a bit! I have read so few romances that I don’t really have many to recommend, but I do like Sarah MacLean, have you tried her?
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I have but I’ve got to say she isn’t a favorite! thanks for the rec though, Laila!
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