Two Diva's Bookish Discussion - What makes a good...?
Hi we're Francoise and Sunny and we have known each other since our nappy days. We're constantly having rants and raves about the latest books and bookish news.This is a fortnightly discussion that you can find on both of our blogs, so please make sure to stop by both blogs as our written content is different, although on the same topic. Our posts are not intended to offend anyone or anything but this is just our opinions and we would love it if you would share your thoughts in the comments below. This is a new feature we decided to add and the purpose is not only for you to get to know more about us but for you to be able to join in and have fun.
What makes a good...Romance?
For today discussion we are continuing the theme of what makes a good...? and the topic is a romance. There are many factors that need to go into a novel that we think makes a good romance.
A love interest with swoon-ability - I think the love interest has to have swoon-ability otherwise I don't feel the connection with him. It also makes it more realistic and it feels like you're the main character herself.
Original Personality - This point will most likely come up with everything. This is because it just makes the story bland and it feels like every other character in different books. I hate seeing the same sort of love interest aka bad boy. This is why I love The Fault in Our Stars so much because Augustus is a character I'll never forget.
Not the stereotypical pairing - I'm starting to get sick of the usual girl who's a nerd and nobody pays attention to her until some popular guy comes and swoops her off her feet. We've all seen this a million times!
Flaws - I find that if the love interest isn't flawed, the character feels unrealistic. This sort applies to any character as no body is ever perfect. But I don't know why and I'm not sure if you guys agree but when the love interest is perfect, I find they're less attractive.
Insta-love - This has been a major topic amongst all readers and if you've read quite a lot of my posts you'll know that seriously dislike insta-love. Again it is just so unrealistic because they barely know each other but they fall in love. I prefer it when the characters hate each other at first and then it grows into something more. Then again this is just my preference so you may not agree.
Some disagreement - When I say this I meant that there has to be at least one argument between the pair because relationships always go through ups and downs. Also when their relationship becomes tested (due to some problem) it strengthens the bond between them.
Non existent friends/parents - Sometimes I think in romances they get too caught up in their own little world they forget the people around them. Especially parents! Always we'll see the parents at the start of the book and then they're gone for the duration of the whole book. What did they just die without the readers knowing!
What makes a good...best friend/side kick?
Loyal & Dependable - A best friend of the protagonist is always there for her/him. I like it when times get rough they always have that deep conversation with each other and you just get that good sense of a bond. They're always that trustworthy and the protagonist can always rely on them.
Protective - The best friend is always protective and they're always there to keep the main character in line. They're always that character that is a nice slap back to reality which the protagonist always seems to need.
A history - I love it when they have been friends since childhood. But sometimes I find it refreshing when it's a character they just met and throughout the story they become closer. It shows a lot of character development
Funny - Do you always find that the best friend is funny, loud, sarcastic? I don't know why but I love these characters as the best friends.
Own Opinion - I think that the best friend doesn't always have to agree with everything the main character is doing. I'm all for showing support but sometimes the protagonist has no common sense so again, it's good to have that strong anchor.
So this is my opinion on what makes a good romance and best friend/side kick. You may not agree with everything I say but I would love your input in the comments below! Please remember to check out Sunny's post because hers is different.
Thank you for reading my posts!
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