As my tag line states, I’m a voracious reader of all the books but even I have some limits. I think back to my early days after getting my first e-reader…
I was so happy to have all my books in the palm of my hand (literally!) at the ready no matter where I went that I bought/read EVERYTHING (that my Visa card could support, that is). Most of those books I enjoyed but some were a waste of my time and money. What those early months did help me do is figure out what romance tropes I really liked and which I’d rather steer clear. Since then, the romance genre has changed A LOT and so have my tastes.
Tropes that I’ll (probably) never read again or ever…
- Step-sibling romance – Taboo, pseudo-incest…
- Daddy romance – Not to be mistaken for a May-December romance between two fully-formed grown adults. I’m talking about a barely legal heroine paired with a hero who is at least twice her age with a “daddy” kink…
- Ménage with more than 3 people – Amazon recently recommended a book to me with 5 protagonists – one woman and her 4 lovers. That’s just not romantic to me. So my reaction was something like…
- Anything that advertises itself with “If you loved Fifty Shades…” or has “Billionaire” in the title.
- BDSM romance with extreme sadomasochism, humiliation and/or blood play. FTR, there’s nothing wrong with safe, sane and consensual BDSM in romance, but the hard-core stuff makes me too squeamish…
- Stockholm syndrome romance (probably not the official genre name, lol) but falling in love with someone who’s kidnapped his/her love interest, held them captive, raped them, and/or made them do other things that they didn’t want to do…
Disclaimer
I say “probably” because there’s always an exception. If a book comes HIGHLY recommended by more than one bookworm I know, or is written by a fave, I might read it even if it’s outside my norm. But it better blow my damn mind! That book better change my whole outlook (shiiiiiit it better change my whole damn life!) 😉
Before anyone comes at my neck in the comments for being close-minded and all that jazz…Don’t misunderstand, this isn’t a judgement upon anyone who enjoys reading (or the authors who write) any of these subgenres/tropes, they are just not MY cup of tea. Because I choose not to spend my coins on these books doesn’t mean you can’t.
What are some hard passes in romance for you? Tell me in the comments!
Xoxo,
Coco 💋
My Reading Nook 
I am with you almost all of these. I will say that I don’t mind a step-sibling romance IF they did not grow up together.
If they grew up like true siblings and then decide to start banging, justifying it with “WE are not blood related!”, that is a hard pass for me. Ughh!
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I’ve read a couple step-sibling romance where the MCs were adults when their parents married…one in particular the protagonists hooked up on vacation and then get home and their parents were like, SURPRISE! 😂😂 They didn’t know each other or that their parents were involved thus it didn’t have that incestous feel. I totally don’t mind that.
But so much of the books that lead in that subgenre are the latter that you described. The author wants to create that taboo angst and drama. It just icks me out. 😑😫
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I’m with you on all of these! I can’t get past the “we’re not blood related” or the “falling” for the kidnapper. Oh and the way over the top SM. Just no.
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