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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 22
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What makes you pick up a romance novel? The title? The cover? Or is it simply the back cover story? Perhaps a comtemporary drama where a single mother tries dating after the tragic loss of her husband -- or the intrigue of an old, crumbling castle with a brooding duke searching for love. Whatever the case, what is it that draws you into this particular genre? Do you like a novel to be relatable? Or more fantastical?
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Joined: 12/13/2011
Posts: 15
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Hi Tabetha,
I'm going to be obvious and say that for me it has to be how the male and female protagonists interact with each other. Sure, there'll come a time when they're both on the same page and forming an honest, appreciative bond but.....nah! Give me the conflict between them any day. The more they resist their impulses, the more they sublimate their attraction into bickers and one-up-manship the more I grunt like a satisfied pig in a mudbath. And when the writer times it just right and brings them into an even keel, into a more appreciative time where the spark of something deeper is just beginning, then I've absolutely enjoyed the ride and am more than happy to pay again to go back on the same one. Is it relatable? Depends on who you are. I've had some true life tempestous romances which just make me smile today so, yes, in a way they are for me but I'm just as happy with fantastical situations. For me the truth is, it's all in the chemistry between the leads. We all have our reasons for re-reading our favourite romance novels. That's mine. 
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 412
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Title. If the title suggests that there is a story I would be interested in reading about, with the romance going on as part of the story, you'll have my attention.
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Joined: 2/9/2012
Posts: 427
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Cool discussion!
For me it's the cover. It has to be alluring and sexy but not too sexy (no shirtless guys haha with).
I'm curious whether digital reading has affected the way romance readers select titles. Does format play a role? Do people think less about cover art now that more and more readers are opting for an eReader?
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Joined: 4/22/2012
Posts: 175
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I personally don't pay much attention to cover art - visuals just don't do much for me, and that's why I read. I'd rather envision the characters for myself. That's the case whether it's an ebook or a hard copy, though I will say that I didn't become a hardcore erotic romance reader until after I got my e-reader.
What catches my attention is usually the blurb, since it outlines the main characters and the primary conflict. Then I'll give it a couple of pages, and if the writing style is acceptable and the plot seems solid and doesn't come across as a bit of fluff, then I'm usually sold. My e-reader is also nice, because it will show me suggestions for other similar books based on past preferences, so I do a lot of literary link-chasing. It also has to be gay (preferably erotic) romance - I just can't do het romance, for the most part, though I've been fine with R&R-ing straight romance here.
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Joined: 6/14/2012
Posts: 194
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Although I'm not a romance reader (or very rarely), I was caught by a blog post, "The Essence of Romance" in a new blog on writing romance from a well known, bestselling romance writer I met at a conference a few years ago, Rebecca York.
http://www.onromancewriting.com/
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Joined: 6/29/2012
Posts: 9
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There are a few things that catch my interest when looking at romance novels.
The cover catches my eye, the title pique's my interest, the back cover blurb sells me on the story, or not.
I have some favorite authors that I don't put through this test, but for other authors to court me they have to pass all three.
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Joined: 2/8/2013
Posts: 14
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I am all about the title and the back cover story. And this may sound werid but, even sometimes the book color. If I am standing there looking at a wall of romances and one of a certain color catches my eye or even just a signal word of the title on the spin I pick it up and read the back cover for more info.
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