I can struggle with Shupe but an Anastasia retelling will always get me to come running.
I'm thinking more about how this is going to be received, it's clearly written stylistically trying to update historical romance for booktok/new readers and that's already telling me there's a problem in my lack of getting emerged into the story.
(Y'all I didn't bat an eye at the 3some, that fit to me, lol)
After rage-DNF'ing two by Shupe (one published by Kensington, the other by Avon - so I covered the spectrum), I've chalked her up as not for me - but some readers really love her, so another day, another day of Wendy being contrary.
ReplyDeleteit's clearly written stylistically trying to update historical romance for booktok/new readers Curmudgeon alert: historical romance has existed for generations and I don't recall all this handwringing when Gen X started reading romance, but whatevs. I still contend historical romance would be just fine if a well-written, solid product was turned out and publishers did the bare minimum of marketing and promotion that wasn't just "let's try slapping it with a poorly drawn cartoon cover."
I love the history she includes, so I keep trying here but I'll probably step back from anything new if this is the direction she's going.
DeleteCurmudgeon alert is me, I get the updating and evolving, obviously!, but to try and make it just like contemporary??? What are we doing? I've always loved that romance has so many subgenres to go for to itch those specific wants. I think it was AztecLady who summed it up with why are we working to condense the romance genre and it's subs? Subgenres are so cyclical, with their popularity, like you said, put out a solid product and do the promotion.