We all have things we absolutely hate to come across in books. I call them reader allergies, and they’re a real thing, because I have them too as a reader. Reader allergies can be a trope or a plot device, like the secret baby, the bad boy billionaire (in combination with the virgin, of course), or the evil parents. Often even the mention of these things will be enough to make some readers go, nope, won’t read it. And I totally get it.
My personal allergy is what I call the Big Misunderstanding, where the main characters have this while break down or even break-up over a misunderstanding that could’ve been solved with a simple conversation. Nine out of ten times, I dislike this plot device.
I’m sure a psychologist would have a field day explaining why some of these plot devices or tropes irk us so much. Like, why does the Big Misunderstanding frustrate me to the point where I’ll have to stop reading what could otherwise be a great book? I’m sure there’s an explanation for it, haha. Others are easier to understand.
The Biggest Reader Allergy of All
Take cheating, for example. It’s one of the most-mentioned reader allergies amongst romance readers, if not the biggest reader allergy of all. Many readers will stop reading a book if it contains cheating. The problem is that the definition for what constitutes cheating differs from reader to reader? If the main characters have sex on page before they meet, is that cheating? If they have sex while they’re temporarily broken up? If they have sex with others and their partner is okay with it?
This is not quite as theoretical as it sounds, as some of my books have plot developments that could be construed as cheating…where I’m convinced it’s not. Take my Ballsy Boys series, for example, cow-written with K.M. Neuhold. The main characters are gay porn stars and while they fall in love and enter into a relationship, they don;’t suddenly stop working. But does that mean they’re cheating?
In my definition not. To me, cheating means having sex with someone else behind your partner’s back and without your partner’s permission. That’s not the case in these books, as their partners know about their jobs and are okay with it. But I can totally understand why some readers would have an issue with this.
Another example is my No Shame series. In the first book, we meet Indy who’s on the run from his mobster ex when he meets Noah and Josh. Indy’s relationship is primarily with Noah, but…there’s some contact with Josh as well, and some readers felt that was cheating.
In my definition it wasn’t, because the relationships in this series aren’t clear-cut. They’re fluid and poly-amorous, and they develop over time. They’re not fully developed until the fourth book, and blossom even more in the most recent addition to the series, No Angel. But I can totally understand why some readers would have an issue with this.
Allergies are Personal
Reader allergies are above all personal, which means everyone draws the line someplace different…and that’s okay. What constitutes cheating for you may not be the same for me. That doesn’t mean one of us is wrong. It just means we’ll have to accept that our definition is different. In that case, it’s best to respect each other’s opinion. Why would you want someone to read a book or finish a book that makes them clearly frustrated?
All we can do as authors is be as clear as possible about what to expect in our books so readers know when to avoid them…and even then we can’t always help it, because allergies can be small things, really.
So, just to manage expectations: my No Shame series has a complex but beautiful poly relationship, D/s play, puppy play, a little daddy kink, spanking and domestic discipline, some consensual swinging or however you want to call it, and enough heat and heart to give you all the feels. If you’re new to this series, start with No Filter…and if you’ve read the original four, don’t forget to check out the latest release No Angel, where Indy and his chosen family come together in No Shame style to celebrate a wedding and the holidays. Love, suspense, and plenty of sexy times!
I just finished No Angel. Loved it. My allergy is the Big Misunderstanding. And being stupid about it. 🙂
Thank you! So happy you loved it. Yeah, I’m allergic to the Big Misunderstanding as well, haha. It’s ruined a few otherwise really good books for me.
My big allergy is repeating the same thing over and over again. An example: “I’m drawn to him but he’s my best friend’s little brother. I should feel guilty and I do, but…” . When this inner dialog is repeated every other paragraph it becomes really annoying. We got it the first dozen times!
Yeah, I feel you on that one. I’m not a fan of massive internal monologues anyway, but if they get repetitive, it’s even worse.
The No Shame series is absolutely beautiful, super hot and well thought out. I’ve enjoyed every book in this series without any allergy for me. My allergy lies more in the super angsty books, sometimes toa the point where I yell “get OVER it already!!” Often books where the would be lovers are related by marriage, not by blood, and a very big deal is being made about that.
Thank you! I’m so happy you loved this series… And I get what you’re saying. It’s a bit of the repetitive part that Linda mentioned as well above with an added dose of “much ado about nothing”, haha.
I don’t really have an issue with anything when it comes to books. I mean, I don’t care for and usually won’t read historical and Sci-Fi books, but they’re not a hard no for me. As for all the rest, I’m OK with it.
Good for you! As I said, it’s super personal…one person’s biggest allergy is another person’s fave trope. You do you!
I feel the same as you about big misunderstanding being totally annoying. I cannot stand wishy/washy whiny MCs. There’s too much angst at that point achieving nothing. Definitely detest Hamlet style waffling coupled with noble martyr type in MCs. Just wanted to strangle the character and put some backbone and determination into him.
The noble martyr type, yes! They get on my nerves as well. I like characters with backbone.
None of your characters cheat. I define cheating as something one partner does when the other has no knowledge of it. Even then I’ve read one book where I found the characters so interesting that I kept reading. It’s not a hard limit for me I guess, not surprising as I like dark romance. I have no expectation that the people I’m reading about should have the same behaviour, ethics or morals that I do, it’s fiction after all. I agree with your dislike of silly misunderstandings that could be solved with a conversation. I now dislike books where the main plot is sex – as in more than 50 percent of the book is sex scenes – not offended by it, just no longer interested.
Kathy, I agree with your comment about too many sex scenes in a story. They should be the icing on the cake not the cake itself. The building of a relationship outside of the sex scenes gives the characters and their relationship more emotional interest. If all they seem to do is have sex, it becomes more like written porn than a building of a meaningful relationship. Maybe that’s another allergy of mine. Too much sex and not enough story and I tend to skip over the repetitive sex scenes.
I also agree with your cheating comment. If one character goes behind his partner’s back and has sex with someone, that is cheating.
I’m happy to see you agree with me that my characters don’t cheat.
And yes, it may sound funny coming from someone who writes pretty steamy books, but to me, the relationship and plot is more important than the sex. I think it’s something I’ve grown in as a writer…
I love your Ballsy Boys series (and the cocky dudes I assume you named them after…? 😉 ), and did not think it was cheating because the whole reason they met/got together was because Rebel was his fantasy and he liked seeing him on screen (and they were monogamous off-screen). I really enjoy the dynamic of non-binary relationships and how all of the non-conventional stuff has to get negotiated. My allergies: any teacher-student/under-age/power-abuse stuff. (Big misunderstanding trope is pretty annoying, but what I tend to expect: you must never watch Hallmark! I’m happy when the falling action/2nd climax is something external to the characters, as with your Alpha series and the political/bio-chem stuff going on… So interesting.)
Haha, yes, the Hallmark movies are pretty much based on the bis misunderstanding! That’s so true. So happy you love my books!
I’ve really enjoyed the No Shame series. I love the character of Indy especially 🙂 I honestly don’t have a problem reading much (my first MM was Special Forces, so . . . ), but I do get pissed off when I’m misled. I once read a blurb with a warning of “forced seduction” when it was a roofied bareback gang rape. False advertising is a no go and I’ve never read another book by that author.