Reading Update: 30%

Look, I'm an old hat with reading romance books, bodice rippers? I cut my teeth on them. Modern books tend not to follow the beaten path those took, some have the same tropes just coated in "alpha" and "dark" semantics. Really though, pretty close to tomato, tomato. This one, oooh this one sneaked up on me, but you can't fool a permanent resident of Romancelandia.

Take at glance at that innocent cover.

LIES.

This is the original cover:

TOO BEAUTIFUL! RARE POWER!

Time to gird your f-ing loins, people.

This was originally published in 1976. Also, notice how two dudes took a woman's name to publish under. The breast talk/worshiping had me wondering at 10%, suddenly things make more sense. 

I'm going to guess they did not revise the new 2015 republished version. Why do I say that you wonder? 

For a moment the two stared at each other, the mere sight of their naked bodies arousing them. No touch was needed between these two. Angie felt the throbbing ache awaken in her loins as the animal before her hardened, rose tumescent and pulsing to its full height. Her hand went down to sweep the remaining piece of silk from across her thighs, revealing the soft, moist lips so eager to be stroked, parted, entered and ravaged. Eyes burning and lips parted, she threw wide her arms to greet the carnal god as he approached. There would be no more waiting.

No mere coitus for Angie, she's waiting to be RAVAGED.

Did I mention Angie is not the heroine? Angie is not the heroine. Hero is banging another woman 10% in.

Now, nothing I could say could prepare you this, so just, I don't know, have puppy gifs keyed up.

Barrett is her FATHER,

Barrett glared at her, panting with fury. “Slut!”

“Slut!?” Karen spit back. Her voice was low, barely audible in the heavy silence. “Is that how you see your daughter? As a slut?” The two faced each other in timeless attitudes of belligerence until Karen straightened herself, stood regally, boldly before him, her gown falling away to her sides to reveal her naked body, the perfect breasts rising and falling slowly, the thick light brown patch of pubic hair exposed between finely sculpted thighs. “Do I look like a slut to you?”

It had been a long time since Barrett had seen his daughter naked. Not since she was a little sandy-haired tomboy swimming in a New Hampshire stream. But this was no little girl. His eyes raked over her and he was unable to stop them. Karen watched her father’s line of vision and made no attempt to cover herself. Contemptuously aware of the power her body could wield over a man, any man, even her father, she stood still as a statue blatantly displayed to he who should not look. Barrett, his momentum shattered, suddenly aware of his licentious reaction, staggered back, shocked by his obvious and less than fatherly interest in his daughter’s body.

Because of course, even though it is his daughter, what do women's bodies do? They evilly tempt men.

I'm 30% in. 

As with these older written stories, they are longer and more sagas. This first part took place in Washington D.C. The heroine broke off her engagement and is set to leave with the hero back to his home in Texas. 

I'm going to continue to read, partly because of morbid curiosity, and partly because this older books actually incorporate the scenery and setting; I do enjoy the epic adventure feel. I just hope the less desirable components disappear.