Read This, Not That

Thinking about my taste in fiction, as I often do when browsing some of my favorite websites, I realize that there are certain scenarios that have me hitting the backspace button when attempting to find a good read. I rarely compromise on these terms and I've been lucky to find plenty of books without them. You might call them literary peeves. They are in order of least liked.

1. Prostitute, whore, escort

Call them what you will. I DO NOT understand the intrigue and phenomenon, especially in m/m fiction, for the young men (usually twinks) to sell their bodies. I didn't like it on the rare, rare, rare, rare occasion that it appeared in het romance or fiction and I don't like it now. I especially hate to discover that I've unknowingly purchased a book where the main character's 'occupation' was never mentioned in the blurb. I guess this avoidance stem's from an undying old-fashioned ideals of romanticism. I have, however, enjoyed stories where the characters were in the profession. But that was because their interactions were glossed over and most of them were no longer in the trade or attempting to get out of it.


2.Humiliation

I've read one book (well, half of one book) where one of the main characters got off on being called names, whipped with a belt, and punched in the face. CLEARLY this guy never got spankings and then whuppings in his childhood. The idea of being hit with a belt buckle makes me cringe. Nuff said.

3. Established relationships

I can count the number of books in romance I have read where the MCs were already together when the story started. This does not count sequels and trilogies. I like the excitement of the first hook-up, the thrill of attraction, the first blossoming of love to be written about. I reserve ERs for non-fiction, thrillers, scifi, etc.

4. M/F/M

I've long stopped being convinced that any man is willing to share his woman with another man and does not have latent attraction to another man. (I mean, I know I could be wrong but I like all things equal) Now, if you turn this into M/M/F I'm in.

5. 7,10,12,15 years later

I don't know why I have an aversion to second chance relationships. It happens. A lot. In real life. But they rarely pique my interest.

6. Bittersweet

If you tell me there is no HFN or HEA I'm out of there. Life is full of disappointments. I don't need it in my reading.