Comments on: Book Review: Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran

By: ninaa11

ninaa11 — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:10:13 +0000

I want to read this book. I hear a lot of things about the author but I never had the chance to read his books, and I want to see what style does he have. He can try sell textbooks online to make publicity to his book.

By: Vorkosigrrl

Vorkosigrrl — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:00:45 +0000

“But I also think that these covers are part of what gives romance a bad name.”

Ana, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with that comment. I read obsessively, carrying my books along with me everywhere I go. I don’t like being embarrassed by a book cover!

By: » This book comes out tomorrow

» This book comes out tomorrow — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:58:52 +0000

[...] Chase’s MR. IMPOSSIBLE, you simply must read this book. Jane at Dear Author gave it an A. The Book Smugglers gave it an 8 out of 10. It’s brilliant and clever and tender and I think Duran is going to be the next Loretta [...]

By: Ana

Ana — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:50:23 +0000

Simone, I do think you have a point there. It does feel like it is only “packaging “and the main problem with that, is that it is a mindless, automatic action that could well explain covers that feature a blonde woman when the heroine is brunette for example.

Stacy – stop it.

Kmont – we can and everybody else as well!

By: KMont

KMont — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:32:42 +0000

I’d forgotten like a bad blogging bud that the shirtlessness doesn’t work for you. *smacks forehead*

And yes, I think you’re right again. They do give romance a bad name and contribute to the ridicule the genre is subjected to, especially by non-romance readers. But hey, at least we romance readers can take them with a grain of salt and poke fun when the covers beg for it.

By: Stacy ~

Stacy ~ — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:32:24 +0000

I so do want to read this one, and once again, your review is superb. You could probably convince me to read just about anything, even stuff I stay away from.

As for the covers, I don’t hate them, but you’re right, they do detract away from the story as well as generate the constant distain and ridicule the romance genre tries to get away from. Something more subtle and evocative would be more appealing instead of the salacious. I fear it’s a battle that will never be won…sigh.

By: Simone

Simone — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:31:16 +0000

You know, when I first saw this cover I thought it was beautiful. Then I realized that I was looking only at the woman’s pretty blue dress and black hair. I wasn’t even looking at the man-chest!

From what I understand, US publishers use images as shorthand on romance covers. Bare man-chest means romance. Lady in pretty dress means historical romance. Bare man-chest in kilt means Scottish romance. Et cetera.

It isn’t about the story, or what’s in it, or what’s “pretty”. It’s packaging, the same way a Nabisco logo means you’re buying a Nabisco product. They want the reader to know exactly what they’re picking up by looking at a single image.

I’m not saying they’re right. Just that that is what US publishers are thinking, I think.

By: Ana

Ana — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:11:23 +0000

You do have a good point there – it must be hard to get rid of what has seemingly worked for such a long time. But I also think that these covers are part of what gives romance a bad name. *shrugs*

and I don’t like shirtlessness. at all.

By: KMont

KMont — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:06:34 +0000

Well, and maybe it’s also that in the U.S. romance mass market has a HUGE share of the book buying market, the largest of them all. Maybe that enables the mindset that why fix what’s broke? If romances are selling that well, maybe those covers are working.

I admit I don’t mind the shirtlessness sometimes, or even the headlessness lol. But I’m also a bit strange that way. I think I mentioned somewhere around here before that the Headless Horseman is one of my favorite characters ever, so… *shrug*

But oh, man, yes, I agree. Those UK covers ARE prettier, they DO seem to have more effort put into them and they flat beat out the cover above. *high five*

By: Ana

Ana — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:01:47 +0000

I just thnk that the UK marketeers are putting more effort so that they can reach MORE readers. Isn’t that clever? me thinks so.

The way I see it, the US are only trying to reach the regular romance readers.

I thin you should totally start buying your books with these pretty covers.