Saturday, February 03, 2007

Hooks

I was signing and putting the Bound By Marriage winners books into envelopes, when I got to thinking how much I like the marriage of convenience storyline. I've written it in Bound By Marriage and Awaken to Pleasure - two different books but with the same 'hook'. Hmm, I wonder why it intrigues me so much?

The brain is too swiss-cheese this morning to go into deep analysis so let's just talk about what hooks/storylines we like to read. Here are a few of mine:

Marriage of Convenience
Friends to Lovers
Reunions

You?

26 comments:

Susan said...

Marriage of Convenience
Friends to Lovers
Reunions

I like those also - but I also really like "enemies" to lovers. Sometimes that instant dislike is masking something else.

Maria, Lover of All Things Romance said...

Yes I love marriage of convenience storylines, they've been done so many times but they never get old for me. And I, like Susan, like the enemies to lovers storylines too.

Unknown said...

I often find the enemies to lovers too antagonistic, but I do like how JAK does it - when the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum but end up working together. The heat, the tension...love it.

Oooh, what about virgin heroes? I was talking online to a friend who had a book accepted with that hook and I'm definitely hooked!

Lis said...

Marriage of convenience
Friends to lovers
amnesia (though harder to find lately)
reunion

I think are my favorites. Never really got into the whole secret baby plots

Susan said...

I guess it does not have to be just enemies - maybe just opposites attract or unlikely attraction!

Neyjour said...

Here are a few I really like. All Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Paranormal themed stuff:

Lifemates/Bondmates (where the heroine isn't willing to accept it in the beginning) Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller is one of my absolute faves with this theme!

Abduction (the hero wants her, takes her and keeps her with him until she realizes that he loves her and visa-versa) The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley and The Rebel Prince by Sharon Green are two of my favourite abduction themed books!

Romeo & Juliet (two different races/species whose people are at war or just dislike each other, but the hero and heroine fall in love despite the prejudices and differences)

Rescue (the heroine is being held prisoner and/or being abused and the hero rescues her - not the "knight in shining armor" type theme, but more along the lines of he just happens to stumble onto the situation purely by coincidence)

Virgin Hero would be interesting, and very different. LOL! I'm almost certain I've read a couple like that, but I can't recall the titles/authors.

Neyjour said...

Errrr...this is Neyjour. I have no clue why it's now using my real name and not my username. My profile also won't come up. Strange... :(

Anonymous said...

ohhhh great question !! I love the friends to lovers and my ultimate favorite is when the shy/plain or scarred girl gets the the Ultimate Hot guy hero.I totally love those kind of books !!!!!!!!!!!!!


The Virgin Hero is an interesting premise, I've only seen it done a couple of times. I think it has the potential to be very hot. On that note JR Ward has a virgin hero warrior coming up in her series and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Lis - me, too. The secret baby thing just seems so wrong to me.

Susan - opposites yep, love it! Esp when - as Sweet says, the shy girl gets the hot guy. *g*

Neyjour - I think it has to do with the shift to beta blogger. It's signing me on oddly as well. Sigh...

Love your list! The bondmate thing especially. :)

Sweet - which JR Ward hero is that????!

Jennifer McKenzie said...

Hmmmm. I think I like Friends To Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Falsely accused vs. law enforcement. I never really got into the secret baby ones. Some of my favorites were marriages of convenience.
I also wrote a virgin hero, but he was only a vigin for about three paragraphs. LOL.

Anonymous said...

The Virgin Warrior would be, Phury: the loyal one, the one who sacrifices himself for others. Phury is Zsadist's twin brother and a celibate who cannot truly live because of everything his biological brother has lost.

At first I thought she just ment he was celibate, but in reading further into the series and looking on her site, she says that he is a virgin.I'm really looking forward to see how his love scenes will play out.

Anonymous said...

Hi Nalini,

I like enemies to lovers, best friends to lovers (Secret crushes), Romeo and Juliet

and now since you've started writing them paranormals. Any suggestions on other good authors.

BTW, just read Bound by Marriage and as usual, you've hit another one out of the park.

Canadian fan - Rhonda

Anonymous said...

Nalini,

I too enjoy reunion stories. :)

Anonymous said...

Jen - wow, must've been some three paragraphs!

Sweet - oooh, sounds good...really good.

Rhonda - thank you. You just totally made my day :) :)

Hey Angelle!

Anonymous said...

One that I like that hasn't been mentioned yet is Beauty and the Beast type storylines.

Also another virgin hero - Jerin in A Brother's Price by Wen Spencer.

LesleyW

Anonymous said...

Oooh, love the Beauty and the Beast - it inspired my Craving Beauty! :)

And I've read that Wen Specer book. Very interesting - totally unique.

Unknown said...

Spencer, not Specer! Wish you could edit comments.

Anonymous said...

Friends to lovers
Reunions
Vampires or shape shifters
Geeks turn into Hunks
Marriage of convenience
Enemies to lovers
I still love a good written royalty book.
Brothers in law turn to lovers
I love plots with the not so handsome hero and a beautiful woman ( Craving Beuaty) one of my favorites

Neyjour said...

I love the Beauty and the Beast theme too!

The Rebel Prince by Sharon Green also has this, but my ultimate favourite is the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. They're not Romance books, but if you get hooked on them there's a wonderful romance that spans 2 books (3 counting the novella) towards the end of the series. So emotional considering everything Miles has been through in his life!

I made a post about the series in my blog, if anyone is interested in reading them:
http://artzone.daz3d.com/blog/index.php?seid=Neyjour&bcat=5651

I've just put Craving Beauty on my wish list! If anyone can recommend others with this theme, I would really appreciate it! :)

Neyjour said...

Hmmm...I wish you could edit comments. That link didn't work right. :( You'll have to click on the "Books (Science Fiction)" category.

Anonymous said...

Neyjour!
Another one that I remember now with that theme is " The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt"

Tessa Radley said...

I like a lot of the Greek myths as hooks. I love the darker fairytales, too, like beauty and the beast.

Can't go wrong with:
Reunion
Opposities attract
Friends to Lovers
Greek or Italian men
And in Regencies, I adore the bluestocking heroine!

Anonymous said...

all of the above.

partial to the enemies to lovers, though

Nalini Singh said...

Neyjour, I second Barbara's The Raven Prince recomm - good book.

Tessa, Shiloh - hi! :) I gotta admit I have a thing for the bluestocking heroine, too. It's why I love Amanda Quick's books. She always has smart heroines.

Unknown said...

Nalini... so far I have read bound by marriage 13th time... love character like Gabe's... I have all your books... :)

Nalini Singh said...

Varsha, thanks for the comment - that's such a nice thing to hear :)

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