Wednesday, May 22, 2013

I Need an Intervention...

I think everyone has at least one plot that they can't pass up. For me, it's a marriage of convenience with a particular soft spot for mail order brides. I love that part where the couple grapples with not marrying for love, but finding it anyway. Two of my all time favorite books, ones that I have re-read too many times to count, are marriage of convenience stories. Sunset Embrace by Sandra Brown and Susan Carroll's The Bride Finder. I highly recommend both if you love the marriage of convenience story line, too.

However, I fear I may have over-read my favorite plot. Each one I read is starting to feel the same. Even when they're well written, they're getting old. The reasons behind the marriages seem to be getting more and more far fetched. Do two millionaires really need to marry due to an unplanned pregnancy in this day and age? Can a crazy old man really change his will so his son must marry in order to inherit?

So I'm taking a marriage of convenience break. Going into rehab, if you will. Anyone know of a twelve-step program? No more until 2014. And, if I have a relapse, Anne and Kay get to pick out a book for me to read. *shudder* But if I'm giving up the marriage of convenience, I'll need something else to distract me. What's your poison of choice? The one story line you can't resist?

8 comments:

  1. I'm a sucker for a Beauty and the Beast story. I also enjoy a friends to lovers story.

    I also really like marriage of convenience. (But, for the record, I really didn't like Sunset Embrace, at all. Hero was a total ass. But to each their own.)

    And I'm going to start thinking about what I can make you read... because I know you're going to cave. ~Anne

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  2. Hero was sooo not an ass, but to each their own. I won't pick on your vamps, don't attack my strong, silent, and brooding types. *snickering*
    ~Kate

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  3. Are either of those hot enough for me? And Kate, I would love to tell you what to read. My favorite story lines are the best friend's brother, secret babies, stalkers(as bad guys not love interests), series about large families,high conflict romance and romantice suspense. Basically everything Anne hates. Hee hee.

    Kay

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  4. Kay,

    I'd give both Sunset Embrace and Bride Finder blaze heat ratings. I'm pretty sure at least one of them used the phrase "shaft of manhood" which still makes me giggle.

    And ugh. Best friend's brother is actually one of my least favorite story lines. But I do like a good secret baby story.

    ~Kate

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  5. Mine is definitely brother's best friend/ best friend's brother. I had some massive crushes in my day on my older brother's friends / my friend's older brother's. Although I'm totally glad I didn't end up with any of them now I'm older. I still have a fondness for this trope though.
    Absolutely hate secret babies and stalkers (the amount of stalkers in novels is ridiculous!).
    Don't like marriage of convenience in contemporaries because it doesn't seem realistic in this day and age.

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  6. I'm neutral to the best friend/brother trope, though I did have a serious crush on my best friend's big brother, too! I also hate secret babies and stackers. I might be ok with a secret baby, but I've never found one done well. I just don't have the patience for romantic suspense, though.

    ~Anne

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  7. Romantic suspense, if done properly, is the best of both worlds. I know it isn't for everyone but it isn't as bad as dragon shifters, winged shifters, or time travel. Come on.

    Kay

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  8. Oh, I can so get down with a good dragon shifter. I'm with you on the the time travel, Kay. Come on, regency era lord decides to hang out here in the present time for good. I don't know that any woman is worth the loss of his butler and valet. Just not believable. And anonymous from 5/24 hit the nail on the head with the marriage of convenience. While it can be pulled off in a historical setting, it's very hard to pull off in a contemporary romance.

    ~Kate

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