If you have ever read a Harlequin, you know what I'm talking about when I say cheesy. I'm not putting them down. Once in a while I still enjoy a good romance while it's snowing outside and I'm curled up in a chair, sipping hot cocoa. Harlequin gave me my start in writing and I will be forever grateful to them. But you have to admit, if you read some of the book descriptions aloud, you will not be able to keep a straight face. The flowery prose (especially when describing a man's attributes or the way the woman feels about him) can get ridiculous. When I was writing for them, I did it too. I wrote some stuff that makes me cringe now.
My problem is that sometimes the stuff I learned while writing for Harlequin slips into my YA books. It gets a bit cheesy. Some people say they love the romances in my books and will add a 'sigh' or a 'swoon,' but others I guess want to gag on the fluff.
Why am I putting up this post today? Because I was working on Hunter (Order of the Spirit Realm book 2) and I was trying to describe how gorgeous Nick is and how badly Bay-Lee wants to be able to touch him. (You won't understand this unless you read Bait, but there is a reason she can't touch him). If I'm not careful, I find myself giving into old habits.
My questions for you: What is over the top? What is too much? When you are reading a romance, do you want poetic descriptions or do you want it straight?
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