Many romance readers feel a romance novel only is a "romance" when there's at least one complete love story per book, rather than extended over a series of stand alones that entice the reader to wait for the HEA. Which begs the question, "Well, what the heck are the latter?"
Not gonna' sweat that conundrum on this Labor Day holiday. But I'll share with you what I like even better than one couple per book finding forever: Two HEAs.
Yes, today I write in praise of the secondary love story.
There's nothing quite like the secondary romance, 'cause it gives the author a chance to break up the action with the featured hero and heroine -- and gives us a little more HEA bang for the hard-earned entertainment buck. When done really well, it exposes or introduces themes that ultimately will weave into the main love story.
And done really, really well? It's less about plotting and subtext and more about, "Oh, goody; more love!" Which is exactly what makes Elizabeth Bevarly's signature secondaries so much fun - and why they add extra pizazz to her delightful, sweetly heated and down-home witty romantic comedies.
For instance, "Neck and Neck ," the newest in her ab fab series set in Louisville, KY around the annual Derby, boasts a central love story that'd be perfect on its own. Pampered trust funder Natalie Beckett's determined to show she's got what it takes to make a success of her fledgling event-planning company, but needs to snare a big-ticket guest of honor to ensure attendance and big bucks raised for charity. She's set her sights on Russell Mulholland, a billionaire video-console genius in town to race his horses.
Problem is, the reclusive Mulholland's pit bull of a bodyguard Finn Guthrie's thwarting Natalie at every turn - while he's finding it hard to protect himself against his attraction to the warmth and humor of one surprisingly down-to-earth Southern belle heiress.
But what of Mulholland, whom at first glance, one might expect to be Natalie's hero? Turns out he's having a grand time shaking Finn Guthrie's protection, hanging out in strip joints and meeting the sure-thing cocktail waitress of his wicked dreams. Except Mulholland's sure of only one thing: His sexy server's good-to-go, alright, but only for the right man. Question is: Is Russell Mulholland ready to grow up - and willing to open up - enough to be get, um, served.
How do you feel about secondary love stories in romance: Bonus, or bogus? What are some of your faves? Which Elizabeth Bevarly novels do you like best?
Ack, that damn computer just swallowed my comment! I could ... aaaaargh!
Okay now, patient, just write it again:
Like Becke, I didn't realize this one was already out. Ready and Willing got me hooked on Elizabeth Bevarly (which has got a nice secondary lovestory, too, between the heroine's emplyoee and the ghost living in said heroine's house, who already was the great-grandfather of the hero).
I think Gena Showalter writes some of the best secondary lovestories ever. There are quite a few in her Atlantis-series (some of which extended over several books - but I didn't mind because I bought all the books in the series at once and so I didn't have to wait, clever me, tee-hee 
) and also in her Lords of the Underworld-books (those aren't "real" secondary lovestories, though, but just things that make way for the next books - like, hero and heroine of the third book already meet and are attracted to one another in the very first book).
And speaking of Anne Gracie, I could happily murder the guys at the online store where I always buy me ebooks. I always buy Anne Gracie's books as ebooks, and I already ordered To Catch A Bride on Saturday. But still it isn't downloadable. I even wrote an email to the store and asked if there are any problems, but they didn't even write me if they even got that mail. I. Get. CRAZY!!!
~LisaK (who's going to eat her pills now *g*)
