“40 Book Lovers Reveal the Bizarre Real-Life Trends That Make Their Skin Crawl!”
Ever found yourself swooning over a brooding hero in a rom-com only to think, “Wait, would I even want to deal with that in real life?” It’s a common sentiment, especially in the fantastical but often twisted world of romantasy, where behaviors that seem ridiculously hot in print can come off as downright repulsive when they leap off the page and into the real world! Recently, fans of this genre dived into a discussion about the cringe-worthy behaviors that get romanticized in books but would be total deal-breakers in reality. Join us as we sift through these absurd tropes and hear insights from seasoned authors like Jeanne De Vita and Michelle M. Pillow, who weigh in on the allure of these characters and the often alarming disconnect between fiction and actual relationships. Let’s explore together—because who doesn’t love a good literary debate? LEARN MORE!
Many people read books to escape reality and get lost in the fantasy world. However, sometimes authors depict things in a way even the most dedicated fiction readers can’t get behind.
Recently, the romantasy genre lovers were discussing behaviors that are romanticized in books but actually are repulsive in real life. Scroll down to find them, and make sure to leave your own observations in the comments below.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out a conversation with Jeanne De Vita, award-winning author and editor, creative writing instructor at UCLA Extension, and founder of Book Genie, as well as Michelle M. Pillow, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of Romance, Cozy Mystery, and Paranormal Women’s Fiction, who kindly agreed to chat with us more about romanticized yet repulsive IRL tropes in romantasy books.
Moody secretive men who won’t discuss anything about themselves or their history, but are super hot. Their only interactions with FMC they are irritated because they’re trying to control primal urges. FMC can’t get him out of her head and tries to interact with him more.
Real life: I’m sorry, but if you’re rude and act like I’m annoying, I’m going to leave and never think about you again. There’s no one hot enough for me to put up with that. It’s not intriguing and I don’t want to fix you.
Her favorite trope to write about that is quite disturbing in reality is the fated mate—two people irresistibly drawn together by an unbreakable, supernatural bond. “In fiction, it’s all-consuming, swoon-worthy, and layered with tension. But in real life? If someone showed up claiming destiny had decided we must be together, I’d be reaching for a restraining order,” she joked.
“This is a trope I love playing with in my books, especially in the fan-favorite relationships of my Dragon Lords series. These guys are the ultimate believers in love at first sight—they even have crystals that glow to tell them who they’re meant to be with. It’s excellent for futuristic fantasy, but can you imagine a stranger telling you a magic rock wants you to get married?”
Jealousy of any kind for me. like i love jealousy in books (not at dark romance levels but still) but IRL i have never truly experienced jealousy & it is pretty much a deal breaker. This is not including like healthy, developmentally normal jealousy, I mean the book kind if that makes sense.
Dirty talk. I’m sorry, it takes me out of it. I’m too analytical and in my head for it and a lot of the time it sounds cringey as hell. Heck even when reading sometimes I hate it when it’s overdone and I’m like “dude, please stop talking, you’re ruining it for me!”.
