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Topic: Anyone else find themselves enjoying Harlequin/Silhouette books less and le

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Subject: Anyone else find themselves enjoying Harlequin/Silhouette books less and le
Date Posted: 10/30/2007 4:09 PM ET
Member Since: 3/1/2006
Posts: 436
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Does anyone else find themselves reading less and less Harlequin and Silhouette titles lately? I've noticed in the last year I've been putting fewer and fewer titles on my wishlist. And I mean the new releases, not old titles from previous years.

 

I was also really disappointed that they took the Harlequin American Romance line and shortened the size to about 220 pages, when it used to be about 250. Harlequin Temptations used to be this short, and it's one of the reasons I eventually stopped buying HTs. I found the story a little too short for my taste.

 

What does everyone else think?

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Date Posted: 10/30/2007 4:19 PM ET
Member Since: 2/24/2006
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No not really.  I think it depends on the author and the storyline.

Sherri

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Date Posted: 10/30/2007 4:19 PM ET
Member Since: 12/21/2005
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Hmmm... personally I've not found myself less satisfied with the series titles in general, but as they've always seemed to me, they do vary in quality--I've generally found ones I enjoy in most of the lines, but mainly it seems to depend on whether I appreciate the particular author's style and storytelling.  And sadly I have found some authors whose writing I like less now, but am not sure whether that's because their writing has changed or whether my perspective on it has.

And yes, the shorter titles tend not to be quite as satisfying, but again, I really find that it's dependent on the writer--some are able to tell a story completely within the limits of the shorter page count.

And of course, I don't spend as much time (relatively speaking) reading series romances, as joining PBS has quite widened the scope of what I look at now :)

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Date Posted: 10/30/2007 4:25 PM ET
Member Since: 7/31/2006
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for a long time I wasn't buying books HA! but since joining here I've broken my fast and have tons and tons..that said I started buying these series type books and  have found them very hit and miss but that's how I am with everything. I was just about to subscribe to the blaze books then found a total complete dud that made me glad I didn't. and this was an author I liked. there was a thread about these I started a while back listing the 'goodies' we've found though some are older like suzanne brockmann's and linda howard's mackenzie series along with lots of others.

sometimes I like a short simple story that ends happy so I reach for these for a quick read. and some are part of a series where the characters are mentioned again so you 'see' them develop more.

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Date Posted: 10/30/2007 7:00 PM ET
Member Since: 4/25/2007
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Yes, I do seem to be finding fewer and fewer titles that sound good.  I'm glad I found PBS, it's easy to request them here rather than spend my money on them.  Then, if it's a dud, back on my shelf it goes.

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Date Posted: 10/31/2007 2:29 PM ET
Member Since: 8/23/2007
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I've never really been into those much. They don't seem like a complete book to me. I always feel like the story was rushed.  I feel that way sometimes about the Blaze's too but I still read some.  Most of the series romances I've read are because they came w/a book bundle I got on ebay for one of the other books.  I bought a bunch of series romances at Value Village when they had a really good sale.  (4/$99 and then free ones).  I like the Blaze ones when I'm in the mood for a quick read I can knock off in a couple hours. 

Missy1019 avatar
Date Posted: 11/11/2007 11:25 PM ET
Member Since: 9/29/2005
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I have to agree that the Harlequin series is getting less and less interesting...it seems that the theme has taken all different directions and when I think back to the original Blaze books (those in the 100s numbers) they were much more engaging.  Nowadays the storylines take you back to the past, or become more fantasy or mystery written that it doesn't have the same feel and I feel disappointed when I pick up a dud one.  Nonetheless, I still read them and would be interested in trading the Blaze books with anyone who is into them also.