Do titles in titles make a difference to you, Dear Reader?
Two of my books out this month, Sophie Jordan’s SINS OF A WICKED DUKE (which debuted on the USA Today list—woo-hoo!) and Jenna Petersen’s HER NOTORIOUS VISCOUNT have a title in the title. ("Duke", "Viscount")
I have to wonder if the books would be slightly less appealing to readers if they were instead called "SINS OF A WICKED GARDENER" or "HER NOTORIOUS ESTATE MANAGER".
Obviously, Regency-set romances with aristocratic heroes provide more of a fantasy than, say, having a hero who is a chimney sweeper, no matter how brawny and sexy he is. But, I have to wonder, do you have any favorite Regency/Victorian-set historical romances where the hero isn’t an aristocrat (or a secret aristo) or is insanely rich and powerful?
Do you think there should be more of these stories, or will the next mega-bestseller be Duke, Duke, Duke?
Two of my books out this month, Sophie Jordan’s SINS OF A WICKED DUKE (which debuted on the USA Today list—woo-hoo!) and Jenna Petersen’s HER NOTORIOUS VISCOUNT have a title in the title. ("Duke", "Viscount")
I have to wonder if the books would be slightly less appealing to readers if they were instead called "SINS OF A WICKED GARDENER" or "HER NOTORIOUS ESTATE MANAGER".
Obviously, Regency-set romances with aristocratic heroes provide more of a fantasy than, say, having a hero who is a chimney sweeper, no matter how brawny and sexy he is. But, I have to wonder, do you have any favorite Regency/Victorian-set historical romances where the hero isn’t an aristocrat (or a secret aristo) or is insanely rich and powerful?
Do you think there should be more of these stories, or will the next mega-bestseller be Duke, Duke, Duke?
5 Comments:
I can't resist. The covers are just too funny. I was going to say something about the cover featured on 4/18, but I thought it ain't so bad. She wasn't that desperate. But today's? HER NOTORIOUS VISCOUNT Hahahahaha... I love it. And YES. I'd snatch the book off of the shelf in the grocery store had the title read, "HER NOTORIOUS ESTATE MANAGER". That would just set my loins on fire, and I won't be able to shop my groceries.
11:07 AM
Gardener doesn't have that powerful ring to it, but something like "Her Notorious Servant" would get my attention. I'm a sucker for the highborn lady/low born man plot.
I think why the rich and powerful hero works so well is because we all want to be taken care of -- and I don't mean that in an anti ERA way! We all want security. If we didn't have to worry about money or having the things we need/want, life would be so much easier. The rich and powerful hero can give that. However, a rich heroine can give that as well, so provided the heroine had enough money for them to live comfortably, I won't worry about the hero & heroine's quality of life. :-)
As for fave romances, off the top of my head I can't think of one in which the hero wasn't either an impoverished aristo, or a wealthy self-made man. I think Bitterleaf by Lisa Gregory had a hero that was an indentured servant, but I can't remember if he turned out rich in the end or not.
2:12 PM
I love non-titled, non-tycoon heroes. My favorite has to be Elizabeth Hoyt's The Leopard Prince. I just find it really sexy for a hero to be confident and assured of getting the heroine despite lacking the social cachet others think he should have if he's to capture the heroine's heart.
8:26 PM
I do like historicals with common heroes, likes those from Elizabeth Hoyt which I love, but have to confess Sins of a Wicked Gardner doesn't quite mow me down, lol. But, if that was an Elizabeth Hoyt title, knowing how I love her books, it wouldn't matter.
12:05 AM
I do like non titled non elite heros, but not in England in the regency era. It's hard to get all excited about a working class man when the working class was subjected to so many cruelties and there were so few opertunities for them to have anything better. By being a member of the arisocracy or gentry at least we're assured as readers that HEA isn't frought with all sorts of money problems. Of course if it takes place in a time period where there was more mobility a fairness amongst the classes that would be differnt.
4:11 PM
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