We all have our breaking points…that moment when we’re reading a steamy, uber-romantic scene and all of a sudden, BAM, we’re hit with way too much cheese. It might be something as simple as, “Baby, you light my fire.” To “My sweetest honey flower, you’re the most exquisite creature in existence. I can’t imagine living my life without you. I will die by the sword rather than let you go.” Yeah, you get the point, mega-barf.
As a writer, it’s hard to know just how much cheese to put in a scene. There needs to be some of course because we are talking about romance, but a balance is really important…and sometimes incredibly hard to reach. I can tell you that I struggled with finding the right amount of romance in my early writing for sure. In fact, I still get nailed at times for going a little bit too hard on the gushy stuff. It can be particularly tricky when you’re dealing with fated mates (which my Order of the Wolf series plays with). There’s an instant connection between hero and heroine and I’ve had to work hard to maintain a balance between that concept and reality.
My Huntresses are linked to two different men, one a Hunter and one a werewolf. She must choose which to claim for herself. Essentially she must choose what side of the battle she will commit to. Her decision is usually a lot about lust, that instant attraction at meeting someone that gets her motor revving, amplified by destiny, fate, magic. But lust isn’t really that romantic on it’s own so there needs to be some level of emotion at play, a reason to commit that involves the heart as well as the body. That means my heroes need to get a little mushy. They need to expose their hearts in some way. Making it believable is the trick.
I have a really low threshold for cheese in real life. I accept it, love it actually, in romance novels but I’d snicker and snort my way through most romantic scenes if they happened in real life the way they happen in fiction.
Coloring outside the lines can sting like hell…
Shot by a Huntress, his wolf trapped within him, Dyami Storm is battling a poison that is eating him alive. His only hope is finding his mate, but without his wolf to guide him, he doesn’t know where to look.
The second the sexy bad boy stumbles into her tattoo shop, smelling of booze and oozing attitude, Summer Sinclair knows he’s trouble. She should turn him away, but a strange magnetic pull compels her to help him out with a little ink.
When Summer’s boyfriend walks through the door, Dyami senses he’s in the presence of a Hunter, and the Hunter recognizes him as a wolf. With hackles raised, a weapon coming at him, Dyami’s only choice snaps into place. Bite Summer, marking her as his—and unleashing her powers as a Spell Weaver.
On the run from Hunters and losing his fight against the poison, Dyami is in a race against time to convince Summer her power could change the course of the war…and that his fate is in her hands.
Warning: Sexually explicit. Tattooed, rock star drummer with a tender heart seeking his one true mate. Tough little tattoo artist with a special talent for spells. Lots of hot and heavy, wet and sweaty.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://rabidreads.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/AngelaAddams.png[/author_image] [author_info]
Every day is Halloween for author Angela Addams. Enthralled by the paranormal at an early age, Angela spends most of her time thinking up new story ideas that involve supernatural creatures in everyday situations. She believes that the written word is an amazing tool for crafting the most erotic of scenarios.
She is an avid tattoo collector, a total book hoarder and loves anything covered in chocolate…except for bugs.
She lives in Ontario, Canada in an old, creaky house, with her husband and children.
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Angie is giving away a signed copy of Wolves’ Bane, limited edition Order of the Wolf keychain and a signed Cursed bookmark! Giveaway is only open to Canadian and U.S. addresses.
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Have you read anything lately that you found really romantic or really cheesy?
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads. Avid book reader, snowboard bunny, video gamer and Supernatural fan. I love all things paranormal, werewolves especially. Oh, and I’m Canadian, eh!
I think that you could have too much romance, but it depends on the mood of the person who’s reading the book. I normally don’t get too tired of romance, if I’m reading a romance book it’s because I want to in the first place.
Kelsey recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: A Court of Thorns and Roses
I know what you mean…mood is really important when it comes to embracing the level of romance.
I love my romance. But there can be a little too much cheese sometimes. I just finished the last in a trilogy last night that had a bit too much, actually. I caught myself rolling my eyes. *ha*
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Review, That’s What HE Said #22, Thirsty Thursdays & Hungry Hearts #2 ~ Bite Me ~ CC Wood
Eye rolling moments are the worst. I don’t do particularly well with teary heroes either.
I have definitely come across overly mushy, cheesy scenes. I normally read a few sentences, see that it drags on with these long winded pledges of love and skip past the paragraphs. I can only take so much before I start rolling the eyes!
Tanya recently posted…Review ~ Bound By Flames by Jeaniene Frost
I’ve had to skip chunks too…but paragraphs?? That’s a lot of mush 😉
“But lust isn’t really that romantic on it’s own so there needs to be some level of emotion at play, a reason to commit that involves the heart as well as the body.”
Yes! I couldn’t agree more. I like mush with my lust, they balance one another out and make me swoon:) And then make pointed comments to my husband about why he never says things to me like the hero says to his leading lady. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to keep from laughing if he did, so he just can’t win 😉
I totally hear you there! Our poor significant others really get the raw end of the deal here.
Sometimes cheese is good and other times, not so much. It might have to do with the read or it might have something to do with me, I don’t know. Either way, sometimes it works and sometimes not. 😉
kindlemom1 recently posted…Review: The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine
Totally needs to be a balance! Thanks for popping by!
I definitely think it is possible for a romance scene to be too long or too cheesy. I’m not a fan of scenes that are overdone – it has to feel right and natural, and not be covered in cake icing. Ok enough of the weird analogy, I clearly need more sleep. Basically, I want to enjoy the romance and get into it, not be rolling my eyes.
Julie recently posted…That’s what HE said Thursday- April 9, 2015
Mmmmmm icing 😉 lol Too sweet is not good but there needs to be some…got it…you’re so right.
It is very possible.
I read the sequel to this erotica suspense I love & lost it when the hero said (I paraphrase): I love you. Will you let me fuck you in the ass?
True story. I mean who says that?! I can tolerate cheese in books more than in real life. There’s rare occasions though where I come across a line & just want to throw up a little. Lactose intolerance from the cheese!
Braine recently posted…Shelley Liked It: Awakening by Shannon Duffy
This post made me snort my coffee. lmao I had a similar experience with a few lines that made me put the book down for good.
congrats to Angela on the new release! Looks and sounds awesome 🙂
Thanks so much!!
I think it depends on the premise of the book and the preconceptions given for that book. For example, erotica, I expect a ton of sex, but it may or may not have romance. In PNR, I expect romance, which doesn’t necessarily means it has a lot of sex or even any sex on the page. In UF, it could go either way. My big thing is that there needs to be a story that is told. Even with erotica, I need something with a story line to it. I’m also not a fan of cheesy.
Melanie recently posted…Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Great point, Melanie!
I can’t tolerate anything generic, so even one line of something I’ve either seen, heard or read before constitutes too much for me 🙂 But if the romance is new and done right, I don’t mind how much of it there is. In fact, the more, the better 🙂 But it’s got to shake me inside, leave me breathless, or cause me to pause and think. Does this make sense? Great post.
Ramona recently posted…Clean Reader Controversy
Thanks, Ramona! I totally agree!
Yes, I personally hit a wall once in a while when the words don’t ring true for the character, the timing, or the circumstances of the story.
Sophia Rose recently posted…Crash and Burn by Abigail Roux #Review
it’s a delicate balance for sure!
I haven’t read any books with too much cheese in them lately. But I remember the romance books 20 years ago that I borrowed from my mom were filled with cheese.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Recipe: Roasted Asparagus
I think I’ve been spared too much cheesy lately as well. Thanks for popping in, Mary!
Too much…well yes, sometimes it just crosses the line to silly, and not in a good way
blodeuedd recently posted…The wedding cake tree – Melanie Hudson
It would be fun to collect the silliest ones for a giggle. lol
I agree that romance can be a bit MUCH sometimes. It’s easy to go into cheese territory, so it’s important to look out for that if you are writing a romance. It wants to feel real and something enjoyable, not a moment where the reader laughs and rolls their eyes. hah
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: Skyscraping
I always try to be aware of the cheese factor when I’m writing…and editing.
It is a very hard balance for me, and as of late… I’m not too keen on romance, cheesy or not, as of late.
Pili recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday #89!!
Thanks for stopping by…and I know what you mean, it’s pretty hard to balance it all out.
I am also really weird about cheesy moments and while I think they can work, I feel like there needs to be some basis for them. Like if there has been a life/death situation, I can be okay with a bunch of cheese but if the couple JUST MET, it’s super awkward and bleh
I can totally imagine why that must make it so hard to write a romance just write because there are so many factors to consider!
Rashika recently posted…ARC Review: Hold Me Like a Breath by Tiffany Schmidt
Luckily I go through a lot of editing from the birth of an idea to final product so there’s lots of opportunity to tweak some of the more nauseating romance out 😉
You know, I saw that question and thought, “No! Never too much romance!” But, yeah. The romance can definitely go overboard, especially when it’s overwrought or too cheesy (I do love the cheese but…too much is too much.).
Mary recently posted…ToT: Deep by Kylie Scott
I go through cycles myself and there are some authors who I tolerate much more cheese from than others.
I have definite limits on romance in books. Much pickier when it comes to PNR than when picking out a UF and Contemp Romance forget it unless it’s an author I’m very familiar with, most have too much cheese for me.
Kristina D recently posted…Some Thursday Randomness
I think my books tend to straddle the romance, uf line a bit. That gives me a little more leeway to not go heavy on the cheese.
I love cheese, to be honest, I use to read historical so I’m not put off by it.
I’m not too familiar with historical…is there a lot of cheese in it?
I actually recently finished UPROOTED by Naomi Novik and I felt a scene in that was one of the better steamy scenes I’ve read. It wasn’t really overwhelmingly romantic but just realistically so which worked perfectly for me.
Tabitha (Not Yet Read) recently posted…Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
I’m going to have to look that one up!
Personally, I have a high tolerance for cheese in romance novels, maybe because I expect it. I love it. 🙂
Cynthia recently posted…BOOK REVIEW: Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally
The comments for this post are so funny! High cheese tolerance! Thanks for stopping by!
Oh, I remember that series now, I used Spell weaver’s cover in my “Lusting for cover” meme *wipes drool*.
I personally hate cheese, snicker and snort are much better ! And sarcasm, grumpy characters. But cheese, pink, hearts and unicorns, ugh !
However, I can see how it can be difficult for a writer and you’re absolutely right, nothing but lust is not attractive in the end, there needs to be feelings. I’d rather be a reader than a writer 😉
Red Iza recently posted…Hottie of the week
The snickering doesn’t do much for men’s egos but, hey, you can’t just brush stroke that stuff…you gotten know your woman. 😉 Lust is good too…but in romance, there needs to be something that gets the heart melting a little.
Great post! I have a fairly low cheese too – in books almost as much as in real life. I’ve noticed that pet names, especially when they’re used prematurely, drive me bonkers!
Berls recently posted…The Death Cure by James Dashner
I have the secret love of being called “pet” with a Scottish accent only though. lmao It makes me giggle every single time.
Ha! I love this! I especially love when you say that you would totally snicker through cheesy stuff in real life, but you kind of like it in your romance – you’re so right!!
Nicole recently posted…That Book You Wanted to Love – Let’s Discuss
I know, total contradiction but I am totally not the sappy sort at all…strange that I like it in my romances.
I can’t tolerate cheese at all. Not in books. Not in movies. And if it happened IRL I’d probably get my eyes stuck in the back of my head from rolling them so hard. lol That said, I can appreciate that others love it and that’s totally okay with me.
Rhianna recently posted…Review: After the Red Rain
Sometimes it way over the top and I just can’t deal with it. lol But when it’s in moderation I’m all good.