Are Torrid Love Scenes Unrealistic Romance?

HI RJ Blogging Community!

Amanda McIntyre coming at you from a very cool and gray day in Iowa.

Fall has always been one of my favorite times and this year is particularly special as it is the debut of my erotic historical, DIARY OF COZETTE (Harlequin Spice) Set during the white slave trade era of London (mid-late 1800s) it follows the journey of a young woman, bright, curious and resilient from poverty to a women of wealth. The road is not a snmoothone, but every experience, evey person she meets and loves or thinks that she loves, creates the woman that she (and the reader also) sees herself becoming. It was an interesting journey for me as a writer. Much research went into this book, as well as having the freedom of so many fascintaing characters.  Just this week I recieved my authors copies and I opened the book and began to read it.  Well over a year in the writing, editing and publishing process, it was like reading someone elses book! Which was great! I actually found myself enjoying it!  I hope you will too.

In a conversation with a friend of mine today however and, understanding everyone is entitled to their preference, or more than one for that matter.

I would love to ask this question: Do you think that torrid love scenes are realistic or unrealistic, insofar as portraying romance? 

I’ll check back to see what you all have to say! Meantime, I hope you will consider picking up a copy of Diary of Cozette and let me know what you think! 

Cozette

Blurb: 

Passion knows no status or wealth…

True, I am but a mere maidservant from a great house, snatched from a wretched existence of poverty and desperation to serve noblemen of wealth and privilege.

And yet…

While I am indeed of lowly rank, I am also a young woman who allowed herself to sample life’s greatest pleasures in the hands of these titled men. My tales overflow in this journal, penning my journey to becoming a woman of power of the most base, yet stimulating, breed.

Unmarried and twenty, yet betrothed to no man, I would be considered a spinster by most, yet this is of my own ardent intention. With my unabashed lushness and wisdom regarding a man’s most vehement cravings, I am not lacking for suitors or proposals given in the heat of passion. No, I have yet to meet the man who will challenge me, satisfy me in all ways, not only of the flesh.

For where passion and desire are fleeting, my heart continues to beat.…

Romantic Time BOOKlovers Reviews gives Diary of Cozette “4 stars!” calling it “persuasive and beguiling!”

Be well & have a great Autumn!

Amanda

14 Responses to Are Torrid Love Scenes Unrealistic Romance?

  1. cheritycall

    hy, Give something for help those hungry people in Africa or India,
    I made this blog about that subject:
    on https://tinyurl.com/6p6lb8

  2. Amanda McIntyre

    The beauty of blogging Sami, the comments are always welcome! And I want to thank you for yours as well. You bring up some very important aspects to this topic. IE; “putting the responsibility for the sexual experience on the hero.”

    This is one of the aspects I enjoy in writing historical. Taking the “norm” and mixing it up.
    Surely there were women in all eras, that had “experience,” whether for survival’s sake, for the sake of love or perceived love, or perhaps political gain.
    These “what if’s” –particularly in history– is what fuels my imagination and I find myself drawn to my reading choices not so much based on genre, but on the “what if’s” of the story.

    RELATED TOPIC: How do you make your reading choices?
    Is it by author?
    By the coverart?
    The blurb on the back cover?
    The genre?

    I am really curious since I think with the economy the way it is, we all tend to streamline our purchase choices perhaps a bit more than ususal.

    Of course, that said-I do hope you’ll give my debut SPICE Erotic historical a shot!

    HAPPY AUTUMN TO ALL~
    Amanda

  3. Sami Lee

    I might be coming in a little late but I love it when a heroine is as sexually experienced as the hero, or even more so (not that I’ve come across that often). In the modern world, this is more likely going to be the case and I think it’s good when fiction reflects real life. And sex is likely to be more ‘torrid’ when a woman knows what she’s doing, knows what she wants and how to get it. The concept of the virgin heroine tends to put all the responsibility for the success of the sexual experience ion the hero, as he is the only one who’s had practice! That’s fine if it suits the story, but not if it’s done because a woman has to be virtuous to be considered ‘good’ and therefore likable as a romance heroine.

    Anyway, topic for its own blog I think!

    I love the look of this book Amanda. Congratulations on the release.

  4. Amanda M

    Thank you Crystal, I agree the cover is gorgeous! and really could not depict this story any better! I am anxious to see what they do for my medieval Dark Ages-TORTURED! LOL

    Cath! How are you! Long journey, eh? LOL Historical and sexy, just for you, darlin’! VERY EMOTIONAL!!
    It is available in all its 400 juicy page glory just about everywhere right now!! Pretty exciting! Would love to hear back if you get the chance to read it!!

    So there haven’t been comments on my other question…are you okay with heroines bringing as much “experience” to the table as the hero bringing to the table??????

    Amanda

  5. Caffey

    hi Amanda!! Gosh I remember when you told me that you would be having a book out with SPICE and its finally here. Huge congrats!! And its historical!!

    I’m not sure what you mean about Torrid Scenes. I think for me, if it flows with the sexual tension of the h/h within the story, then its just part of the story and I love it!

    Its different if its only erotic and the scenes are more for emphasizing the sex, then I rarely read any of those. I love those with a HEA.

  6. Crystal B.

    Hi Amanda. The Diary of Cosette sounds good. Beautiful cover.
    I think torrid loves scenes in books seem realistic.

  7. Raonaid

    Unrealistic? Nooo. Like someone mentioned above… Every relationship is different. Just like everyone’s opinion on romance and sex is different.

  8. Amanda M

    This is very encouraging to read these comments. Each has provided a different element or POV to the topic, but all basically agree that torrid love scenes “can” be romantic.

    And that is not to say that tamer love scenes cannot be as erotic/sensual/whatever term you wish to use, right? But I think its where we are as women in todays world. We still like our alpha male heroes, (I dont care what they say, the “swoon” factor is a turn-on for a lot of women)
    but there are women who go for that flawed hero, the bad boy, the wounded hero that by HER strengths/passions/persona meet him halfway to create a combustible relationship.

    What are yout thoughts of both the hero and the heroine bringing their separate sexual experiences to the realtionship, as opposed to the concept of a lesser/or no experienced heroine?

    Amanda

  9. Sara H

    Torrid love scenes are most definitely a realistic part of any relationship espescially where there is a great romance. I think it is all apart of the happy endings that we all crave.

  10. Deidre Durance

    Torrid love scenes are absolutely realistic in the earliest part of a relationship when everything about each other is mind blowing and exciting. Obviously, for most people that excitement fades the longer a relationship goes on, but in the beginning anything is possible. When two people are bundles of nerves and feelings, why wouldn’t the sex be torrid? LOL

    Deidre
    deidre_durance@hotmail.com

  11. Sue A.

    Torrid love scenes are realistic in romance as long as there is an element of “romance” to the storyline. I want to have a build up showing the the attraction before the torrid love scene. It doesn’t have to be long but it’s the author’s job to make it believable and to engage me as the reader.

  12. Maureen

    I think torrid love scenes are realistic when they fit the story. Every relationship is different so if it fits their relationship then it will make sense to me and work in the story.

  13. Mary Ann

    I like the torrid love scenes but not the crude descriptions of body parts that accompanies so many of them. I feel that descriptions and tamer language can accomplish the same end. It is good to read a torrid scene and imagine myself in the heroines place.

  14. Kathleen

    I think that torrid loves scene are not unrealastic in a romance . That is what we are all looking for when we read these books. We are looking for something that is not in our realm of life. We want to be taken out and transported what we know as our everyday life. There is enough realalty in the world today to sick a ship. You just have to turn on your TV these days and we get in shoved in our face. So cheers to those torrid love scenes and three cheers for romance novelists.

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