Please welcome Harlequin Romance author Nicola Marsh with this week's Author Post!
This month, Harlequin Romance presents 6 fabulous ‘baby’ books, under their ‘Baby On Board’ miniseries. Which got me thinking…are babies romantic?
Considering I’ve had 2 of them since selling in 2003, and have had to handle sleepless nights, teething, viruses, croup, tantrums, etc…I’d probably say no.
Considering I’ve had 2 of them since selling in 2003, and have had to handle sleepless nights, teething, viruses, croup, tantrums, etc…I’d probably say no.
My ‘babies’ are gorgeous and lovable and I squish them a hundred times a day but as a reader, when I pick up a book to escape, I want passion and glamour and high stakes and romance, loads of romance, without a baby’s cry interrupting the hero and heroine at a delicate moment.So imagine my panic when I saw a big baby on the cover of 8th book, ‘INHERITED: BABY’.
Yes, the baby was gorgeous but how could readers be attracted to that story? Wouldn’t the memory of all those pooey nappies and sleepless nights for many readers drive them away?
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
Now I have another baby book out this month, THE BILLIONAIRE’S BABY.
Not a baby in sight on the cover, just a handsome man for my lovely hero Blane (the first hero of mine in 17 books to make me cry while writing) and his heroine, Camryn.
Their embrace is romantic. His protective hand over her bulging tummy is romantic.
Now I have another baby book out this month, THE BILLIONAIRE’S BABY.
Not a baby in sight on the cover, just a handsome man for my lovely hero Blane (the first hero of mine in 17 books to make me cry while writing) and his heroine, Camryn.
Their embrace is romantic. His protective hand over her bulging tummy is romantic.
The fact they love each other enough to have a baby is romantic.
Is that the appeal of baby books?
The ‘aww’ factor of an alpha hero being vulnerable to his child?
The love of a mother for her baby?
What do you think?
I know for me as a reader, I love the "awww" factor of a child making an alpha hero vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the fence when it comes to romances with babies. They don't remind me of when my baby was a baby but I do remember the sleepless nights and general grumpiness that results. If the author makes it real and not all clean and sparkly, I think it can add a lot to the story. And let's face it, if you see a big rugged man holding an infant and not looking like he was afraid of breaking the little one, nothing can be sexier. I love a man who isn't squemish around babies.
ReplyDeleteI love babies on the cover of my books, whether they are alone or whether they are in the hands of a hunky hero.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, are babies romantic, or are they romance killers? In real life they can be romance killers. But just as I buy the fairy tale of the Desire line (and those are very 'unreal' stories), I can 'buy' the concept of wonderful babies in other romances.
But then I am a pediatric nurse and I don't remember a time when I wasn't a sucker for a cute baby picture.
I absolutely love baby books. I am hooked on the "secret baby" premise also.
ReplyDeleteI love a baby in big hunky (male!) arms on the cover of a book. Saying that, I love Nicola Marsh's new cover with the hero touching heroine's baby bump too. Awwww
ReplyDeleteIt's the sweet factor, gotta love a man who isn't put off by a baby.
The appeal is absolutely the "awww" factor of having a big, strong man be vulnerable to a little baby or child. Similarly, seeing a woman being loving and maternal is appealing, but, for the most part, I definitely want the story to focus on the adult relationship. Without a really strong emotional connection there, I have a hard time enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteAs for babies being romantic or romance killers, I'd have to say romance killers. I found that having a baby was the very best contraceptive available because for a long time after she was born, it took a lot for me to work up the energy or find the time for romance.
I must say that what you've written about your new hero making you cry while writing it makes me want to read it. I love a strong hero who's emotionally vulnerable.
I do think that a cover pic of a man holding a baby is really special. I remember a fabulous advertisement with the baby asleep on top of bare-chest bloke (also asleep) sprawled on a sofa. Can't remember what it was advertising, but that image was really powerful.
ReplyDeleteSorry ... still thinking.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly romantic, but it speaks of commitment, caring, all those things we really want from a man. :)
I'll go now...
men with babies say strength and tenderness all wrapped up in one. That's a tough combo to resist.
ReplyDeleteAnd makes me realize I have not had a child of any sort on any cover. LOL. Give it time, I'm sure it will happen.
I've loved reading all your POVs here :)
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, the sight of a guy holding his baby and caring for a child competently is beyond sexy.