I need a name for this: when you've read the first book in a series and it sucked, and you know from reading reviews that the second book will be just as bad if not worse, yet you still want to read it. :-\

hopefulness? lol

determination to finish a project- no matter how heinous

Ah... that moment in the bookstore when I take a deep breath and say... Put down the book. Step away from the series. Step away from the series with your hands in the air.... sometimes it doesn't work and I read it anyway. :)

Curiositykilledthecatatonia:P

I think I have that disease.

'kay, Willa. What's the series????

Colleen

Yeah, what is the series?

Pamela

Cathy Maxwell. The Price of Indiscretion was so bad, but the set-up for the next one really intrigued me. Luckily I already had it so now I can see for myself that it's just as bad and none of the possibilities that intrigued me are actually going to happen. :-\

Cameron Sisters.  I've read that one and In The Bed of a Duke.  And you're right, it's not like you need to read past book one to figure out that they suck:P

Sigh I liked that series. 

But then I hated the Eloisa James series with An Affair Before Christmas and everyone seems to love that.

I used to like Cathy Maxwell, but for whatever reason, she puts me to sleep now.  And I liked EJ okay at first too, but I've gotten pretty bored with her.

hehe - I haven't gotten stuck in the romance series trap yet (I'm sure its coming) but I do often fall in the hole with mystery series.  Right now I'm a little ticked off with the Midnight Louie series.  The last book sucked but I have the next seven books in the series and there is always that hope that maybe the next one will  make it better.  I'm also had this with The Cat Who series - I keep stopping myself and saying - why are you reading this?

I'm over Stephanie Plum.  Get a real life already.

It took 30 books before I had had enough of Beverly Barton's Protectors series... Yeah, I'm a very patient person.

Colleen

Wow, Colleen...impressive...30 books. 

I'm usually willing to give a 2nd or even 3rd book in a series a try even if the first one sucked.  Lately I have changed my mind on that, though...I figure I have enough other books to read that I'm not going to waste my time.  I read the first in Mary Margaret Daughtridge's SEALed series and was so annoyed with it that I sent out the 2nd in the series (that I had already gotten since I like to read a couple in the series together) without even cracking it.  I also didn't bother with any more than the first in Laura Caldwell's Izzy McNeil series (these are more mystery, but still have some romance--published by Mira) because I didn't like the main character.  Maybe I'm cured? Or maybe I've lost all hope.

Ack! 30 books... I would have hanged myself:P  I can't even get into someone I love for that many books.  I don't think that the best of them can pull it off without boring you to tears at some point.  I adored Stephanie Laurens at one time, and that's saying a lot because it took me at least 15 to burn out on her.  I can't even read Jo Beverley anymore - who used to be a reading list staple for me - because she refuses to stay out of Mallorenland:P

Here's your name Willa- Smaccmeitis. and the cure? A smacctectomy- it removes your palm from your forehead.

Excellent, Rose!  Now I just need to find a good smaccologist.

Hey, Laura. Barton's Protectors were actually quite good. And the first 15 or so have some very interesting characters and plots. But then, they do start to get repetitive. I do like Barton's writing. She writes tight and can do deep characters and plots in a 256-page limit (several of the Protectors stories were published as Silhouette Intimate Moments/Romantic Suspense titles).

Among the eeriest was Sweet Caroline's Keeper. Her bodyguard is the same man who had stared into her 12-year-old eyes after he assassinated her stepfather in a gov't-sanctioned hit.

As for hanging in there... remember that I read Diana Palmer, the queen of series/related stories. No less than 100 of her 130+ books are related in some way.

I've written off Suzanne Brockmann's stories because of her political bent that permeates her fiction, but I'm still hangin' with Stephanie Laurens. *sigh* It's all my sister's fault.

Colleen