Always Listen to Smart People

I went to the library, and I got books. Agnes and the Hitman, by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, was one of them.

Recently in a forum discussion of what genre I really write (after someone linked me a blog about SF Romance and a lot of it sounded familiar and I was freaking a bit because my issues with romance novels run deep) I wrote this:

As for romances themselves–yes. Those books were from the early 80s if not before. The historical romances I read some fifteen years ago were better. Don’t Look Down (2006) was okay. But here’s the thing–I have never read a romance novel that satisfied me. NEVER. Why? Because there has to be more, I think. Because the brief happiness of two people who will probably walk off-page and get in a huge fight and get divorced within five years if they even marry doesn’t matter to me. Babies Ever After is even worse.

Romancing the Stone was a huge movie. People loved it. I was “meh.” Now Jewel of the Nile–most people panned it. I loved it, watched it fifty times. Why? Because the relationship was real. They had problems. Problems that arose from knowing each other as not quite the Studly Adventurer and the Beautiful Heroine they were in the first movie, and couldn’t be solved by the end of the second. All they could do was agree to try. Happily Ever After is a bunch of bunk and that movie acknowledged that.

So how are you going to tell me that I should like romances when I know darn well that the main premise of every single Romance Novel–that This Special Love actually means anything–is pure and utter bat-dung?

As for SF Romance–my problem is the name of the genre. Because I have a strong distaste for romance novels (NOT FOR ROMANCE READERS; I JUST DON’T WANT TO READ THE NOVELS) it’s very hard for me to understand how that can be the right place for me. And then there’s the problem of defensive romance readers, tired of being looked down on, who are going to take my entirely the wrong way…

Now, obviously (since it was a discussion), the other people in the thread held differing views. These are people I love and respect, so I listened. And I went and reserved Agnes and the Hitman because it is a favorite of several of them.

(There may be very mild spoilers ahead. I wouldn’t call them that, but you might.)

Agnes isn’t model-thin; she is, as Shane thinks, “pattable.” Curvy. She’s got a temper (whoo boy, does she have a temper!) and she’s on probation. Shane is going grey, and it’s not described as “distinguished-looking.” He’s a hitman. This is not your typical romance–this one is several cuts above “typical.” Especially since, when I came to the end, I could honestly believe that Shane and Agnes had a future together.

This book is laugh-out-loud funny, sincere and smart and a great ride start to finish. I read it in almost one go–started it when I went to bed, and woke up in the morning and read till I was done. Then I hunted up some online friends and apologized for laughing (lovingly!) at their genre of choice. This one was that good.

So if you’re like me, and trying to understand how your smart friends can read those awful books–get your hands on this one. It won’t change your life–probably (I know I won’t be switching genres, writing or reading)–but with luck it will make us both more open to options. Because holy hell, was that a great read!