Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 | |
Filed under Uncategorized |
Today I have the pleasure of hosting my good friend Fiona Jayde as she frolics across the Internet on her virtual blog tour. She’s written a fabulous blog post for us on Romance Novel Cliches and Why We Love ‘Em. Leave Fiona a comment below, and you’ll be entered to win a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate! Follow her on tour for more chances to win.
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PAS DE DEUX
One wrong move, and she could be dancing on her grave…
Two years after an injury put her dancing career on hold, Lynnrina Kovaleva is determined to reclaim her place on the stage. On the eve of her comeback production, she takes the edge off her nerves with a one-night stand in the strong arms of celebrity bodyguard Mateo Rivera.
Ex-cop Mateo is celebrating one hell of an anniversary: eight months since he was declared unfit for duty. When a delicate beauty boldly propositions him in a bar, he chooses to lose himself in her body rather than lose his mind to alcohol. This choice comes back to haunt him when he’s hired to protect a prima ballerina who’s been receiving threats.
Despite her shock at seeing him again, Lynn must not allow their intense attraction—or any creepy fan letters—to undermine her performance. Mateo can’t reconcile this coldly focused dancer with the passionate woman who seduced him. Yet he sees fire under the ice, pain hidden by the smooth mask of perfection.
The vivid memory of their entwined bodies wars with the job at hand, but he must keep Lynn safe—regardless of the cost. The most difficult challenge, however, will be keeping his hands to himself.
Warning: Contains jetés, pliés, a chilling touch of danger, and the boiling heat of an unwanted attraction that combusts into passionate sex.
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Romance Novel Clichés and Why We Love ‘em
The Boss and the Secretary. The Private Eye and the Bombshell Client. The Jaded Cop and the Murder Suspect he can’t seem to take his eyes off. The Bodyguard and the woman in danger he must protect.
Pairings such as these can be common in the romance genre. We know how such stories will end (for the most part anyway), we understand the core conflicts these characters may have to push through in order to get their happy endings. And yet, we reach for such stories again and again. (At least I do!)
Perhaps it is the fantasy of reliving a particular favorite “fantasy pairing” that draws us readers to similar books? My personal favored pairings are The Jaded Cop and the Murder Suspect as well as The Bodyguard and The Woman he must protect. I’ll usually buy any book with these themes. (Those and The Renegade and The Assassin)
My favored romance clichés offer such delicious possibility of friction between characters that I can’t put a book down – even if I’ve read variations of similar themes before. Of course the characters will be different, with different motivations and different problems. But the core conflict that will keep the characters apart while pushing them close together through attraction, lust and finally love will remain the same.
In case of the Bodyguard, he must remain professional, but how can he keep his cool – and his killer instincts – when he is starting to get emotional over the client? She is not just another client anymore, and I love seeing that struggle between cool professionalism and hot passionate emotion.
This was the main inspiration behind Pas De Deux – I wanted to experience that same delicious tension which comes when characters are extremely attracted to each other, but refuse to act on that attraction due to personal and professional barriers. Here’s a small snippet:
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Pas De Deux © Fiona Jayde
Mateo waited for another kick of lust when those stormy dark eyes finally met his. As punches went he wasn’t disappointed. He simply hoped that she wouldn’t look below his belt.
“I can take care of myself.” Low voice, a soft hint of an accent.
Mateo wondered if she knew that she rolled her Rs when she was upset or… Fuck. At this rate he’d have permanent zipper marks. “Really.” He didn’t state it as a question.
“Yes. Really.” If looks could kill, he would be frying. Except he couldn’t focus past the nipples pebbling under the dark fabric of her top.
His one regret had been not having tasted them.
“Show me.” He didn’t even know what he was saying.
“Excuse me?”
“Show me how you take care of yourself.”
She smiled, serene and beautiful. And Mateo barely missed a pink-shod foot aimed at his jaw.
He caught it just before she clocked him, felt a short tremble when he gave in to the urge and rubbed his thumb over her skin.
Those dark eyes flared wide and soft and brown.
“Let go.” A firm no-nonsense voice. More color on her cheeks.
“Say pretty please.”
The silence stretched, so tight he could’ve snapped it.
“Let go.” She whispered it, a hoarse and silent plea.
“Might want to take another self-defense class.” Disgusted with himself, arousal pounding his body, Mateo opened up his hand and thought he heard a muttered curse. If nothing else, the words cheered him right up. “Didn’t think I’d see your face again.”
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As far as Jaded Cop and the coolly beautiful Murder Suspect… All I can say is keep checking back! 
To the readers: what are some of your favorite romance clichés?
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MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM LACEY! IS THIS BOOK OUT? WHERE?
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Sounds like a good story & cannot wait to read more…
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Linda — It’s out now at Samhain! You can find it here: http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/pas-de-deux
Kay — Thanks for stopping by! Fiona writes fabulous books. I think you’ll really enjoy this one.
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Because it gives us ideas on how to spice up our own romance life!
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I love cowboy romances, so there is always the hired hand and the young lady in the family, whether she is owner of the place or just a member. Ranches provide wonderful settings and lots of action, from horse-taming and rodeos to stolen-kisses behind the barn.
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Wow this sounds like a fabulouse read! Just awesome! I will be looking for this one!
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Hello, Loved the excerpts/blurbs…are they released yet??
Michelle B. aka koshkalady
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my favorite’s the bodyguard and the woman hes must protect, too. if he thinks shes’s a spoiled princess and finds out later that she’s totally different,it’s even better. I’ll definitely be checking out Pas De Deux.
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Pad de Deux sounds great! My fave is the cop one.
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I like when the hero or heroine refuses to ever love/trust again and then by the end of the book they fall in love with each other.
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I think one of my favorite romance cliches would have to be the shy girl and the bad boy. I also like the girl next door who has had a secret crush on her brother’s best friend for years. I never get tired of those pairings.
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I like The Jaded Cop and the Murder Suspect. Love the mystery and suspense and sizzling romance.
Pas De Deux sounds fantastic! Enjoyed the blurb and excerpt. Also loved the Warning!
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I like the vampire and the human. It’s addicting reading each
vampire searching through time to find their true love.
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I enjoy the rags to riches or arranged marriages when of course they clash in the beginning. Your book sounds wonderful!!!
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Hi Lacey & Fiona
I loved Pas de Deux Fiona. You had such beautiful passages in this story and it was HOT too.
I love all the premises you mentioned as well as best friend’s sister or brother and friends to lovers. I’ve also read a few step-siblings ones where they didn’t grow up together. Any premise where they’re thrown together early gets the story started sooner. I guess you can say these are cliches but then you can say that about any HEA too. You know how it will end up. The magic lies in the talent of the writer who can take you on an unexpected ride to get there.
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The Beyond Hope Hero and the Believing Innocent who redeems him, the Cynical Rake and the Original Miss. The heroine who makes the hero whole.
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I love the Bodyguard one you mentioned, too. Another I like is the one with the tortured hero (not necessarily physical) and the woman who heals him. I also like the marriage of convenience that turns into something more.
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Favorite Romantic Cliche – bad boy turns out to be not so bad, just misunderstood.
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The biggest cliche is where they say they only want an affair and are not looking for a long term relationship and definitely not marriage. But you know there aren’t many ways to write a HEA without a change of heart on that one.
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I never heard of this author before. I like getting to know new authors. Enter me to win.
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YUMMY!!!
One more added to my Gotta Have This One list
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Hello! I also enjoy reading about the stories you’ve mentioned. One of my favourite is about pregnant abandoned ladies and their rich saviours
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I too enjoy all those cliches. I really like the one where they are thrown together and hate each other but really don’t.
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I actually don’t like the cliches, especially those such as in Harlequin Presents. I want something a bit more plausible. But I do like the hero and/or heroine who doesn’t want romance and ends up with a HEA.
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Hi Fiona. Your book sounds great. I also like the cliches you mentioned.
I also like the rich man rescues poor girl cliche.
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This book sounds like a maybe for my tbr mountain, but I agree with Karen H. I’ve grown out of the Harlequin formula books and recently had to rate some for a judging contest-hated having to read them.
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I enjoyed the snippet! My favourite is the shapeshifter and the human combination. Always wondered about their children.
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My favorite is the two best friends who need to find the true love that fits the both of them to make up the ideal family! lol A woman can live vicariously through your writing can’t she?!!?!? ; )
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I love the chliches. They’re something comforting knowing what to expect when reading a novel.
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I like the famous football player and the shy girl. I also enjoy genius/average girl and alpha male/smart girl who makes him crazy with her brand of logic.
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Enjoyed reading the comments.
I read any book but I especially like the hero to be on a mission and no time to be interested in a woman. However, here comes a woman who enters his life. She is a pesky gnat of a person who he can not swat out of his life until he realizes he needs and wants her in his life.
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Ohh I really like cliches as well and the ones pointed out are yummy. I like the jaded heroine being softened buy the noble hero, the misunderstood bad guy being won over by the girl next door, the “plain jane” or “curvy” woman being adored by the hunky alpha… lol as you can see I have lists
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Pas De Deux sounds awesome – and I lvoe the name Mateo
. I’ll have to run to Samhain to look for it.
Thanks so much for the great post!
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Morning! Whoa, check out the party here!
These are great pairings guys – I’m totally saving this…
@Christ Roberts – famous football player and shy girl ROCKS! I love sport heroes! Did anyone else think the Australian Internet Mogul slash Olympic snowboarder would make a terrific romance hero?
@Jen L – I totally agree. You know what to expect and you have an easier time settling into a story and savoring the twists:)
@Regina – Love the Two Best Friends paring! Lace – didn’t you have a book with two best friends falling in love?
@ Tamsyn – thank you – glad you enjoyed the snippet! I also love the shifter/human combination – all that delicious anticipation about when the human will find out and what he/she will do about it.
@Carolyn – Glad you liked the snippet!
@CrystalGB – hi back and thank you! Ooh – a Cinderella cliche – I didn’t think of that one:) Love that!
@Karen H – I agree, I don’t enjoy romances where the HH know they WANT a romance. I like to watch them fight the attraction till the bitter happy ending:)
@Debra – lol – hate each other but really don’t – I love those romances!! (Makes me think of the movie The Cutting Edge)
@Host – Hi there! Oh very nice pairing!
@ Ronda Inman – thank you! Glad you enjoyed!
@Hi Jane – nice to meet you!
@ Sue – terrific pairing – a booty call where one or both want more but don’t want to break the rules:) Love that!
@Mary P – Sigh… Love bad boys! Aren’t all romance bad boys misunderstood?
@Cynthya – I used to devour marriage of convenience historicals! And yeah – the tortured hero and the healer are excellent pairings!
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@Kaisquared – Beyond Hope and Believing Innocent would make a terrific pairing! I can just see the conflict there:)
@MaryG – hiya! I’m thrilled you loved Pas De Deux! I agree – its all about the writing taking a storyline and making it her own:)
@Catslady – love the name! And thank you! Rags to riches is an awesome cliche:) As is arranged marriage – Catherine Coulter had a few of those, and I just loved them.
@Danette – Hiya! Vamp/human pairings are always hot! Vischious story from Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR ward (Can’t remember the name) was about a vamp and a human dr.. Great book!
@Annalisa – Thanks – thrilled you enjoyed the blurb and excerpt! And the warning! I loove the Jaded Cop and Murder Suspect – I really need to write something along these lines:)
@Lindy – shy girl and bad boy – love that! Oooh – and girl next door with a secret crush is always fun! Great pairing!
@Leni – ah – the burned once hero or heroine who can’t help but fall again, fighting the emotion every step of the way. Gotta love that:)
@Amy S – thanks! LOL I love the cop one as well.
@CharC – thanks! I hope you enjoy! I like your twist on the Bodyguard and the non-spoiled pricess (wheels turning now!)
@Michelle – hiay! Yep – Pas De Deux is out at Samhain – http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/pas-de-deux Glad you enjoyed!
@Quilt Lady – Thank you!! Glad you liked the snippet!
@Gladys – OOh cowboy romance – I haven’t read many of those lately.. Got any to recommend? (Stolen Kisses behind the barn – sigh!)
@Denise – LOL totally agree!
@ Lace – you’re so making me blush!
@Kay – thank you! Glad you enjoyed!
@ linda – LOL! I’m thrilled you liked the snippet!
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i love girl next door and the bad boy.
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I have several cliches, the one night stands that turn into the real thing, tortured bad boy and the girl who loves him.
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Great post! Sounds like a great plot for a story. Some of my favorite romantic cliches are the fairy tale themes. I also enjoy the girl next door taming the bad boy and the bodyguard or mercenary who fights falling in love with his charge.
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Hi Lacey and Fiona!
That is SO true – or how about the bounty hunter and the “bounty”? That’s another one I fall for every time!
kk
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Sound like a good book to read!
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What a great ecerpt. Loved all the sexual tension brimming between them. I love all the cliches, especially the bodyguard and woman and distress and the wounded hero and strong woman who has to fight both their feelings.
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Hi Keatonkat – - GREAT idea! I love Bounty Hunter and Bounty! Seriously – I’m writing these down, you guys are giving me tons of ideas!
Cherie J – Thanks! I love the bodyguard/mercenary who fights falling in love with charge – terrific pairing! What kind of fairy tale theme do you have in mind?
@Earlene – ooh tortured bad boy and the girl who loves him.. Awesome!
@ Jennifer M – girl next door and bad boy does seem to be a very popular one! (taking notes)
@Pam – thrilled you enjoyed the snippet! I love the “jaded heroine” being softened by hero – that’s a terrific one I haven’t seen done much! You got any recommendations with that particular pairing?
@Joye – LOOOVE hero on a quest idea! No time to fall in love, but he can’t help himself… Love that!
Wow – you guys are are a goldmine of ideas!!! I’m so thrilled to have a chance to meet you guys !! A huge thanks to Lacey for letting me guest on her blog!
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Book sounds great. Yet another to add to my TBR pile (or mountain like Carolyn).
Must admit I like the cliches of the retelling of fairy tales (love to see how they modernize it). Or the heroine in a strange world (white girl in a Naitive American tribe in historicals, Modern women time travel to the past (or future), Earthing abductedc to outer space, ect)
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My favorite cliche is the rich man and the poor working girl or the prince and the peasant girl. And of coarse the best is the bad boy and the good girl.
I love any book that has to do with dance. Thanks for giving me a special dancer story to experience.
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Wow! I loved the excerpt and can’t wait to read the rest.
Thanks.
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Ooh! Late to the party, Fi! My favorite cliches are the Cinderella story or the plain-Jane wins the hottie. It’s especially delicious in my book if she does NOT undergo any magic transformation or makeover, but the guy’s perception of her changes because of how he’s gotten to know her better. That’s the best!
Congrats again on Pas de Deux–can’t wait to read the whole thing!
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sounds like a great read, thanks
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@HI Fedora – great to have you! I love the plain Jane wins the hottie storyline (without a magic transformation)!
@Hiya Tracey – thank you! I’m thrilled you loved it!
@ Hiya Gayle – absolutely my pleasure! I hope you enjoy!
@Leslie – TBR mountain is right lol! I’ve been loving my Kindle for just that reason – no room on my shelves!
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Fiona, could be a woman who grew up on the streets and accidentally witnessed a crime (murder maybe)? Perhaps a gov official was even involved and she was at the wrong place /wrong time and naturally looks guilty b/c of her past. Love interest could perhaps be the skeptical attorney who took the case in the beginning only to mark off as a “charitable” contribution to look good on his career list… or the DA whose job is to put her behind bars, but the more involved he becomes in the case the more intrigued he becomes and the more the evidence doesn’t quite stack up.
that’s for suspense romance… could think of some for paranormal, contemp, and fantasy as well I’m sure lol
. Hehe let me know if you ever decide to use my idea would love to read it.
All the best on future releases
!!
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Thanks so much for coming out to play, everyone! I’ll announce the winner of the gift certificate here once Fiona has drawn a name from all those who commented during her blog tour.
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My favorite cliche was: Mateo waited for another kick of lust when those stormy dark eyes finally met his. Never have I ever heard kick of lust before how apropos!
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I never thought of them as cliches, but I guess that’s what they are now that I think of it. There are too many to list all of them. I also like the Bodyguard and the woman in danger he must protect, so Pas De Deux sounds really great. Some of my other favorites are: one night stands results in baby, marriage of convenience, plain Jane/over generous curves girl wins the hottie, the prince and the commoner, bad boy and the good/shy girl, two best friends, amnesia victim/savior, just to name a few, LOL.
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And the winner is…
Well, you’ll have to go to this post to find out: http://hunterraines.com/blog/2010/03/24/winner-of-fiona-jaydes-contest-announced/
Thanks again for coming out to play!