Make it Deep

There are many types of romances out there for us to read, but I'm just recently realizing the main thing that sets a romance apart for me. Good sex scenes are part of it, a big part of it, but good sex scenes grow out of emotional depth. That depth is what I want in a book, even one that's supposed to be sexy and escapist.

By emotional depth I don't mean just the ups and downs and agonies of falling in love, which anyone can write in a surface way, but an understanding of the complexity of people's motivations. A romance author has to throw together two people who are perfect for each other but aren't able to come together until the end of the book. Doing that in a way that makes sense and doesn't get annoying and contrived isn't easy. You have to be a sort of amateur (or maybe armchair) psychologist.

It takes a mature writer to understand the contradictions people have in themselves and how those interact with another character's, how that creates conflict and tension. I want an author who can take me into the depths of people's dreams and fears in an authentic way. When they do this, the sex is great because great sex grows out of the passion, fears and desires the hero and heroine bring to it.

The last few books I've really loved have all had this, and they were by three of my favs: Anne Calhoune, Cara McKenna and Ruthie Knox. These lovely ladies write crazy sexy romances with interesting characters whose motivations make sense and don't change in the middle of the book (oh how I hate that).

Right now I'm reading an historical romance – Where Dreams Begin, by Lisa Kleypas – that I didn't even know existed. I don't know how it's possible since I've been a fan of hers for years and always kept and eye out for her new ones, but there are actually several that I didn't know about. The amazing thing about Where Dreams Begin is that it will probably end up being a favorite. The hero and heroine are so likable and wonderful and the reasons keeping them apart make sense and are also layered in a way that feels real and difficult. Not all of this author's books have this same depth, and the ones that don't lose their tension partway through the book because of this. But when an author can sustain it, even after the h/h have sex, you have a winner.

I'm also psyched about this book because frankly, I have not been having an easy time finding historicals that I like. It's a genre I love, but I haven't fallen in love with one for quite a while. What I need is to discover an author who's been publishing a while so that I can lose myself in the dozens of titles she's already written. If anyone has suggestions, please send them to me!