At one point or another, we've all encountered stories involving romance. Whether a book, TV show, movie, song, or other format, romance is a recurring theme in stories. In this time, we've seen those that do romance well, and those that don't. In today's post, I plan to discuss things that sometimes aggravate people in romance stories. Not that some of these can be well-written, but in many cases, these have been overdone, overdramatized, or in another way are executed poorly. (As a warning, some of these will deal with PG-13 subjects.)
For purposes of avoiding spoilers or having people storm the castle with pitchforks because I didn't enjoy the story, I'm not going to mention many titles or author names in this post. But I think we can all relate to, or even recall examples of, some of these aggravations.
The insane, rip-people's-heads-off love triangle of epic drama.
Oh, this was a fun Wattpad story. The main character was a teenage girl with a rare, serious condition. She had a male friend, whom she just viewed as a friend. But of course, the guy was secretly in love with her. Later on, she meets this guy, and the two of them start going together. This, of course, makes the friend jealous, so he and the boyfriend end up hating each other and arguing all the time, and basically acting like two-year-olds. Later on, Guy A punches Guy B in the face, and in a later chapter, Guy B punches Guy A in the face and says, "Hey, payback."
In this situation, there are two ways things can go. Either the girl can say, "You know what? Both of you are acting immature and stupid, so I'm not going out with either of you! Goodbye!" Bonus points if she then finds a dude with some sense and common decency.
Or we can expand on the whole 'hitting each other' thing, and have Guy A try to punch Guy B, but Guy B grabs Guy A as he's going down, so they both fall off a cliff, and voila! The two annoying characters are gone. I feel better now, don't you?
Or we can expand on the whole 'hitting each other' thing, and have Guy A try to punch Guy B, but Guy B grabs Guy A as he's going down, so they both fall off a cliff, and voila! The two annoying characters are gone. I feel better now, don't you?
They'll never understand/I'm not good enough for them! I must leave!
While in some cases this is a viable conflict, other times this plot twist is over a ridiculous, doesn't-hold-water reason, which is much over-dramatized. While sometimes people make irrational, spur-of-the-moment decisions, remember that there still needs to be a solid reason for the character to do something less than smart.
Let's use a paranormal romance as an example. Yeah, there were problems in the relationship to start with, considering one love interest is a powerful vampire, and the other a delicious morsel of mortal human. But when said mortal hurts herself and one of the vampire's family members loses control and tries to attack her, he gets worried their relationship is doomed. It wasn't as big of a problem earlier in the story, when an unsavory vampire character was hunting her down to kill her. But once your brother tries to suck her dry, it's a deal-breaker.
So what's the solution? Why, the whole family leaves, of course! Say goodbye to your girlfriend, come up with a lame excuse, then they all cut off contact with her. She can go on with her life, just like we never existed.
And of course, another obvious frustration is when they start going out, and then abruptly one decides it won't work out because they have problems and don't want to put that on their significant other. The trigger always being a really tiny, often insignificant thing, of course. And the less you explain your feelings or actions, the better. In fact, don't say anything at all, just vanish into the night, so you could have been kidnapped, or the ground opened up and swallowed you, for all your girlfriend/boyfriend knows. It's more dramatic and angst-filled that way.
They really aren't good enough for you.
In contrast, there's also the fun instances when one of the characters isn't good enough for the other. Unhealthy relationships, treating the other badly, being controlling, the list goes on. In this instance, however, the unpleasant character usually isn't thinking, "I'm not good enough for So-and-So!"
And we all know I'm going to say it, so here it goes. Please see 'love triangle' above. And sadly, you will see this story mentioned again later in my blog post. It was that great. But seriously, if they're going to be fighting over this girl like three-year-olds, ("My twuck!" "He hit me!" "Quit kicking!") they're just not worth it in my book. Go away and punch each other's noses in somewhere else.
Or another story my friend read recently, which drove her up a wall. It was a paranormal romance involving werewolves. The alpha of a pack basically forced this girl to be his mate, kidnapped her. And to make sure she didn't dare try to argue with her, he decided to show what happens when you trifle with him, make her feel powerless. How? By ordering his pack to beat her family within an inch of their lives.
But if you thought this whole thing you just read was awful, don't worry. You see, his wolf side had apparently got all messed up mentally and had taken over, and so it was technically the evil wolf who did this, not the guy. He got therapy and he's all right now. Of course, in an earlier chapter, it had the wolf and guy talking over how to put the girl in her place, and the guy was agreeing with Maniac Bloodthirsty Wolf, but you know, that's irrelevant. You're not supposed to notice these little inconsistencies.
Oh, and the girl? She stayed with the guy. Good little wolfie, you didn't mean to be a big nasty monster, did you? Pfft, might as well pat Carcharoth on the head and call him a good boy. And you, big, strong, perfect man who says the wolf was messed up after agreeing with the nasty thing! I love you, dude who hurt my parents and little siblings!
Character interactions and development: they love each other. That is all.
But that's not how life works. The people have no defining characteristics in their personality, no history, nothing. And when they meet each other, they simply fall in love. Every conversation, every interaction, is about how they're so totally in love. No discussions of what their favorite movie is, or why they didn't like that popular action movie, or if they prefer pop or country music. No talk about this morning's headlines and differing opinions of it, no interest in basketball or chess or the upcoming sci-fi convention. Just light, fluffy stuff about how Girlfriend is so pretty, and Boyfriend is the best guy ever.
Perhaps I'm exaggerating my point. Actually, I hope I am, because if there's a book that bad, I doubt I want to see it. But I think you get the general concept. No matter the genre or plot, the story needs to be more than just them falling in love, and character development needs to be more, as well. Otherwise, the whole thing just seems shallow.
If you were to remove the romance from the plot, they should still function as developed characters. They will have likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, worries and fears, thoughts and opinions. They will have lives, and goals for their lives.
And when the love interests interact with each other, it should be more than just debating who's cuter and stroking the hair of their significant other. Show them interacting the way friends would. Go back to character development here. In fact, character interactions are what often show the character development. And realistically, a romantic relationship is more than just passion and kissing. It's about liking each other as people, too.
Perhaps I'm exaggerating my point. Actually, I hope I am, because if there's a book that bad, I doubt I want to see it. But I think you get the general concept. No matter the genre or plot, the story needs to be more than just them falling in love, and character development needs to be more, as well. Otherwise, the whole thing just seems shallow.
If you were to remove the romance from the plot, they should still function as developed characters. They will have likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, worries and fears, thoughts and opinions. They will have lives, and goals for their lives.
And when the love interests interact with each other, it should be more than just debating who's cuter and stroking the hair of their significant other. Show them interacting the way friends would. Go back to character development here. In fact, character interactions are what often show the character development. And realistically, a romantic relationship is more than just passion and kissing. It's about liking each other as people, too.
Shock value and over-dramatized filler junk.
See 'love triangle' above. Yeah, the plot had problems. A lot of them. At times, I wondered why I kept reading. Don't you hate that situation where you want to know how the story ends, even though at the same time you want to bang your head against the wall at some of plot and/or character issues?
But I digress. Let's start the ranting, shall we? To begin, let's explore that PG-13 chapter that contributed nothing to the plot, a piece of filler added just for drama, shock value, and to give the character a scandalous history. Because the bad boys are just so hot, after all.
The girl and her boyfriend decided to go on a date. If I recall, it was a double date with people they were really awkward with. Oh, but that was just a minor thing compared to what happens next. This girl, who was likely scantily clad, (it's been a while since I read this) comes out of nowhere, seeming to recognize the boyfriend, and unceremoniously throws herself in his lap and proceeds to hang all over him and fawn all over him. You want to barf all over the poor computer keyboard at this point, but you manage to keep going through the chapter.
So the date is basically up in flames at this point, absolutely miserable for everyone there. Later on in the chapter, after Icky Girl is gone, the boyfriend proceeds to explain how he had a one-night stand with this girl long ago. He was a different person then, succumbed to peer pressure, blah blah blah. But he's totally committed to the main character now, no need to worry about that, it's all in the past.
But I digress. Let's start the ranting, shall we? To begin, let's explore that PG-13 chapter that contributed nothing to the plot, a piece of filler added just for drama, shock value, and to give the character a scandalous history. Because the bad boys are just so hot, after all.
The girl and her boyfriend decided to go on a date. If I recall, it was a double date with people they were really awkward with. Oh, but that was just a minor thing compared to what happens next. This girl, who was likely scantily clad, (it's been a while since I read this) comes out of nowhere, seeming to recognize the boyfriend, and unceremoniously throws herself in his lap and proceeds to hang all over him and fawn all over him. You want to barf all over the poor computer keyboard at this point, but you manage to keep going through the chapter.
So the date is basically up in flames at this point, absolutely miserable for everyone there. Later on in the chapter, after Icky Girl is gone, the boyfriend proceeds to explain how he had a one-night stand with this girl long ago. He was a different person then, succumbed to peer pressure, blah blah blah. But he's totally committed to the main character now, no need to worry about that, it's all in the past.
Now, as I said earlier, this is basically filler. If the chapter was removed, it really wouldn't harm the plot. In fact, this chapter actually takes away from the plot. It's just there to add shock value, make a big dramatic scene that I really didn't care about, and actually makes me respect the boyfriend less. Not that I was too impressed with him, anyway, because of immaturity issues already discussed. And really, he wasn't trying that hard to get rid of Icky Girl, either. The part where she was all over him dragged on forever. Get a backbone, and tell her GOODBYE.
Sensual stuff we can really do without.
Which leads me straight into our next section. We didn't need this girl all over the boyfriend, being as sensual as possible, now did we? Yet as the saying goes, 'sex sells'. Frankly, I'd rather have the saying go, 'celibacy sells', just so I don't have to read about burning passion and explicit X-rated junk.
And in some cases, this is really a direct line to our earlier-discussed issue, 'shock value and extraneous filler junk'. If you took the inappropriate details or even whole scenes out, you're really not missing much. Or it's just about 'what's popular', or as mentioned in the previous paragraph, 'what sells'.
Do we need to read about French kissing? No, but we could read about using an entire bottle of mouthwash. Do we need a detailed description of... that? No, but I'm going to be a nun now.
Or, as so often occurs, the showing of skin without proper cause. Whether it's scanty clothing, that perfectly placed tear, or some other thing which serves no real purpose, we're all familiar with it. Imagine now, the drop-dead gorgeous guy, who so casually takes his shirt off without any proper reason, showing off his developed biceps and his six-pack abs. The guy obviously works out every day. To add to this, Handsome Dude has no idea how unbelievably attractive he is, and...
But I could start a whole new section in this post, just about the pretty/handsome/desirable characters who don't notice that everybody is in love with them, or don't know they're beautiful. Sure, this is sometimes true in real life (every trope has occurred in real life, really), but it's one of the things that's been overdone lately.
And really, it's not just books that have this problem. Try getting through a TV show or movie some time without seeing this. An action movie, for example? Has the hero, who's supposed to be solving crimes and saving people, decide they have to hook up with this girl. This is why I'm not a big fan of James Bond. Sure, the gadgets are cool, and he accomplishes all this stuff, but it's amazing sometimes that he gets it done at all, because he flirts with every woman he sees.
Sensual stuff we can really do without.
Which leads me straight into our next section. We didn't need this girl all over the boyfriend, being as sensual as possible, now did we? Yet as the saying goes, 'sex sells'. Frankly, I'd rather have the saying go, 'celibacy sells', just so I don't have to read about burning passion and explicit X-rated junk.
And in some cases, this is really a direct line to our earlier-discussed issue, 'shock value and extraneous filler junk'. If you took the inappropriate details or even whole scenes out, you're really not missing much. Or it's just about 'what's popular', or as mentioned in the previous paragraph, 'what sells'.
Do we need to read about French kissing? No, but we could read about using an entire bottle of mouthwash. Do we need a detailed description of... that? No, but I'm going to be a nun now.
Or, as so often occurs, the showing of skin without proper cause. Whether it's scanty clothing, that perfectly placed tear, or some other thing which serves no real purpose, we're all familiar with it. Imagine now, the drop-dead gorgeous guy, who so casually takes his shirt off without any proper reason, showing off his developed biceps and his six-pack abs. The guy obviously works out every day. To add to this, Handsome Dude has no idea how unbelievably attractive he is, and...
But I could start a whole new section in this post, just about the pretty/handsome/desirable characters who don't notice that everybody is in love with them, or don't know they're beautiful. Sure, this is sometimes true in real life (every trope has occurred in real life, really), but it's one of the things that's been overdone lately.
And really, it's not just books that have this problem. Try getting through a TV show or movie some time without seeing this. An action movie, for example? Has the hero, who's supposed to be solving crimes and saving people, decide they have to hook up with this girl. This is why I'm not a big fan of James Bond. Sure, the gadgets are cool, and he accomplishes all this stuff, but it's amazing sometimes that he gets it done at all, because he flirts with every woman he sees.
The creepy leech guy/girl.
Another story I read on Wattpad. I have a knack for finding the unimpressive ones, it seems.
So we have a dystopian setting, and a young girl who's a super-awesome protagonist. She's strong, smart, and bold. Then later on in the story-line, she ends up imprisoned, and in a nearby cell is Creepy Guy. If you don't believe me, let me continue. So this guy is flirting shamelessly with her from the very start, really coming onto her. But at least they're in separate cells, so we don't delve any further into the torture.
Oh wait! They're escaping prison now! Creepy Guy has his chance, and he takes it. Now, at this pivotal moment when they're running for their lives, let's take a moment for him to kiss the girl. Okay, now I threw up. Luckily, the keyboard was spared.
And how does the protagonist react to this person who's all over her, making sometimes-suggestive comments? Why, they soon fall in love. (gag) And Creepy Guy is hanging all over her, all the time. It's like a leech, or a tick. And when Dude-Who-Makes-Me-Gag is nibbling at her neck, I wanted to violently scratch at the back of my neck, the kind of scratching that temporarily deadens the nerve endings. I want to squirm, I want the creepy guy and his creepiness to go away. He makes my skin crawl. I can't begin to describe to you how much I couldn't stand him. I stopped reading the series because he was gross, and the character was all sappy-in-love with Mr. Creep for some obscure reason. Yeah, he was that bad.
So we have a dystopian setting, and a young girl who's a super-awesome protagonist. She's strong, smart, and bold. Then later on in the story-line, she ends up imprisoned, and in a nearby cell is Creepy Guy. If you don't believe me, let me continue. So this guy is flirting shamelessly with her from the very start, really coming onto her. But at least they're in separate cells, so we don't delve any further into the torture.
Oh wait! They're escaping prison now! Creepy Guy has his chance, and he takes it. Now, at this pivotal moment when they're running for their lives, let's take a moment for him to kiss the girl. Okay, now I threw up. Luckily, the keyboard was spared.
And how does the protagonist react to this person who's all over her, making sometimes-suggestive comments? Why, they soon fall in love. (gag) And Creepy Guy is hanging all over her, all the time. It's like a leech, or a tick. And when Dude-Who-Makes-Me-Gag is nibbling at her neck, I wanted to violently scratch at the back of my neck, the kind of scratching that temporarily deadens the nerve endings. I want to squirm, I want the creepy guy and his creepiness to go away. He makes my skin crawl. I can't begin to describe to you how much I couldn't stand him. I stopped reading the series because he was gross, and the character was all sappy-in-love with Mr. Creep for some obscure reason. Yeah, he was that bad.
Now that we've gone through the entire story rooting for you guys, let's DESTROY IT!!!
No. Let's not. While in some stories it creates the point of the story, in others it's just aggravating. Okay, honestly, I don't even like it when it's the point of the story. That story about a doomed romance, due to lack of communication? Still annoying. I went through all that so they could just die at the end? Really? (groans) I like stories to have at least a somewhat happy ending. But that's a rant for another time.
Let's go to another agonizing story. Admittedly, this was a book I didn't like at all. The plot was focused on a dystopian society where the government controls everything, down to how you act or even think. But when the love interests get arrested and brain-washed at the end, you just want to bang your head against the wall. I went through this whole dumb novel, so that nothing gets resolved. It ended badly. Or a my mother put it, it didn't end.
But my ALL-TIME FAVORITE for bad endings, is where you were enjoying this lovely story, and everything's great and you love it all, and then they destroy the romantic relationship that was going on. A certain book series comes to mind. In the first book, the two characters fall in love. They're totally awesome together, they stay with each other through thick and thin, they love each other. And then, towards the end of the last book... the protagonist dies. No, you didn't read that wrong. She died. And the last bit of the story is the poor guy without her, heartbroken. You've. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me. NO!!!
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