Well, I won’t push it, but you do need to know there’s a lot more to both characters than that scene would have you believe. If it bothers you that much, though, you’re right to stop. Personally, I think the second in the series, Dragonfly In Amber, is the better book.
Read it to the end of the book. Definitely still bothered me.
No, what I meant is that it is the first in a series of (at the moment) 5 books. The characters do grow. But yeah, I understand something like that pushing buttons for some people. It just didn’t push mine.
I’d be very interested in your reaction to Jennifer Crusie once you’ve read her. Her books shouldn’t be hard to find, especially since many of her older ones have been reissued.
The thing to remember about romances is that they are fantasies, all of them, and written as such. But some are better than others.
Now, I liked Diana Gabaldon’s series, to a point–then I got tired of it. I was dismayed by the same scene mentioned in the spoiler box but, as the author says, she’s not really writing romance. It’s history with a love story. (I agree with whoever preferred Dragonfly in Amber.)
I do like Jennifer Crusie. Her books are well-written, and you have the illusion, while reading them, that they are about real people. They’re a lot of fun.
This one may be more than ten years out but The Boyfriend School takes the formula of the romance, twists it, pokes fun at it, and ends up following it. (Basically, a guy whose aunt is a romance writer applies the tricks of the trade to a woman he wants.)
Just wanted to reminded you (real quick) of Donati’s **Into the Wilderness ** Series once more. I think the things you found distasteful about Gabaldon are completely absent from her books. No wife beating or lovemaking violence between the two main characters of any kind. Also, very strong and nonconforming heroine.
I agree - and that’s precisely what I find alarming. Some permutation of “based on a true story” hems the author into something resembling facts, and you take those as you come. Fantasies open an almost endless range of possibilities. I don’t want to overgeneralize what’s common in the book trade based on a small handful of examples, but it’s not like I’ve been able to avoid exposure through other media. Some variation of the same scenario is almost always present - to experience true happiness, a woman must find a dominant alpha male (usually lacking in education and/or social graces by comparison to her current, more refined mate) and conform her behavior to traditional submissive female gender roles. There’s frequently some degree of coercion by the man present - not role-playing between established lovers - and the woman almost always finds such coercion sexually stimulating.
With a movie, or TV series, I could more easily buy the argument that men are heavily influencing the production, and that its really their fantasies we’re seeing on screen. I could also argue that such expensive productions are aiming for a lower, if not lowest, common denominator, and as such, traditional gender roles are more likely to find a wider audience. My sense of romance novels is that they’re much more likely to be produced by women for consumption by women, and still those same trappings appear. What I can’t help but wonder is whether such behavior is what a large percentage of women “really want,” at least within a fantasy setting, or whether some other need is being fulfilled and the traditional gender roles are simply a price one pays to get it.
Selkie, given how much that scene annoyed you, I was to re-recommend A Bloodsmoor Romance. It’s pretty clear that such scenes annoy Ms. Oates as well :).
Daniel
I’m so glad you popped in on this thread again! I forgot to mention earlier that this one was going on my reading list regardless of genre. Because It Is Bitter, and Because It is My Heart is one of those books that knocked me on my tailfeathers so much that I can’t bear to re-read it in case it’s lost its impact over the years. Definitely time for more books by Ms Oates.
Oates, I think, has several different hats she wears when writing. Because it is Bitter is in her more standard novel mode. She’s also done horror (Zombie is probably the most compelling and disturbing portrait of a serial killer I’ll ever read) and humor–which is where Bloodsmoor comes in. She’s one of my favorite authors.
Have fun!
Daniel
Interestingly enough I just finished this exact book the other day. Thoroughly enjoyed it. One of her bests. I really enjoy Barbara Metzger’s work. The men are not without flaws and the women are not perfect. Usually some very good plot lines and excellent character developements. Excellent wordplay. She loves dogs and they are featured in every story. I like that.
If you can find it ( and I had to resort to ebay and shilling out a $20) and that was after I located it through the library system to show you how much I liked it. The Early and the Heiress by Metzger is her first book and it was excellent. Her best, IMHO. And that says alot, as I’ve read everything of hers that she has written that I can find ( I think there are only two I haven’t located yet.lady wilton’s wedding and something else. Not including the newer-longer ones she’s put out lately.
Far and large, she is the best Regency Harlequin-ish story line person (meaning shorter stories) that I’ve found. Since I am reaching the end of my Two Year Personal Quest to Read All Her Books Hey, we all have our own pathetic little goals I am going to need to branch out again in Regencies, as it is my all time favorite and find a new favoritist author to stalk 
The forced sex scenes: Y’know, I have read thousands of romance novels in all the genres: civil war, regency, viking, medievil, paranormal, futuristic, contemperary, time travel, vampire and a few others that I’m forgetting. I’ve read some excellent writers and I have endured some shitbombs. Most are pure entertainment.
I think I’ve read possibly a handful of forced-sex scenes and those were, IRC, in Viking or Medieval story lines. A couple of Civil war stories too, but I am not a fan of that time period ( the glossing over of slavery, the accents, et al.) Maybe I’m blocking it out. But, really, I think it a thing of the past ( in book writing) and poo-poohed upon in todays age.
I don’t know why Romance Books are so embarrassing to admit publically. It is today what buying your tampons when you were 13 was. I hope no one I know sees me buying this…eeek and then when you find out that your friend or co-worker has a Harlequin in her purse too…It’s like Jr. High all over again. A secret society of guilty pleasures. And just like period talk, romance book talk just makes the guys move away.
Some of my favorite authors in their genre:
Fantasy
Anne Lawrence Books focused on Virtual reality games. ( woman gets sucked into a virtual reality game. it sounded completely and utterly stupid and I ignored it for over a year at the used book store…but it was always there and I figured for 75 cents, why not. Not a fantastic read, but captivating. I have her other books cued up in the library system. )
Futuristic/Sci fi
Dara Joy. The only way to put Knight of a trillion stars, Rejar and Mine to Take, High Energy, Ritual of Proof is that she is a wordsmith. Rejar is the best guy with possibly the worst female heroine matchup I’ve ever found. He is from another planet and is a shape changer. she is from Regency England. Do you really think that she can actually absorb what that all means with out imploding? GAH! Yeah, I know, Suspension of disbelief, shirl. YMMV. Still I can’t put it down every time I read it. All her stuff is excellent.
Justine Davis : Lord of the Storm & Sky Pirate. Outfreakin’ standing. Love em. I think they are out of print now.
Time Travel & Ghosts/Paranormal.
Lynn Kurland. all her stuff is well done. (well, there is one I hated, but I will forgive her.)
Merline Lovelace: Somewhere in Time. Female US military shuttle pilot crash lands in Saudi Arabia/Iraq/Iran (that area, I forget) and WOAH, she is back in Roman times. Of all the darned luck. I scoffed openly in the store at the premise of it all. I bought it only because I wanted to see just how the language gap would be covered. I ate the whole book up - and the hero - Lucius Antonious --too. For clarification, Gladiator was freshly out in the theater at the time. Wooooo. it also helped me to realize that the author use to be a USAF pilot. so she wasn’t completely full of shit and making it up as she went along. She also has contemporary books, but I’ve never read them.
Knight In Shining Armor Is one of the best time travel books evar! w00t1
Strangley enough, this is one of my favorite genre ( never know, could happen…like getting sucked into a VR game …) and I tend to go blank on it during pivotal moments like this. I didn’t know I was going to be fookin’ tested on it… Too all three reading this, I apologize.
Regency
My favorite Genre:
Mary Jo Putney: Lovely, tapestry-like story writing with well written characters and plots. (some convoluted, but hey, the guy is hot so who cares?)
Amanda Quick for a formulaic poolside quickie read.
Laura Kinsale Flowers from the Storm and My Sweet Folly, which is in my top five books, evar. YMMV.
Julie Garwood I don’t care for the Westerns/roses story line. But her Regency stuff I like.
Kathleen Woodiwiss and Johanna Lindsey are pretty much to blame for getting me armpits deep into this genre.
Come Love A Stranger by ?, is possibly one of the few books I’ve read where the Hero is not a pariah or out right Cad or Misunderstood or War Hero that is Jaded By It all. Naturally, he is wealthy. As all men should be.
contemporary
Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Series. Start with the first one. They are all numbered and I am too lazy to amazon it for you. You will be hooked and laughing and lusting after Ranger & Morelli like the rest of us…ooooooooh. Two, two two hot guys at once…::::::::::;droool:::::::::::
I would like to say thanks for allowing me to show my inner tigerbeat gal fan spazticness over such superfulous shit as this* and for allowing me the opportunity to officially kill this thread.
- I mean, really in the grand scheme of the universe, this shit doesn’t matter but OG DAMN it is so much fun. I’ll shut up now.
This thread will be dead in 3…2…1…-------------------------------------
I did a vanity search on this very subject and wellll…
I wrote it better over two years ago and…I am still a spaz.
Go Me!