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I am so excited to be starting this new group! I have been thinking about this idea for a while and finally decided to just go for it and see what happens!

So here is my plan...
As well as just general fun and chit chat I would like for our group to read one bodice ripper as our "group read" monthly. I hope that everyone will participate in choosing our monthly read by making suggestions in the "group read suggestions" thread. The books that members seem to be the most interested and seem to be most easily available (currently in print or used copies are easily available) will then be put up for a group poll from the 15th of the month to 25th of the month. The book that gets the most votes by the 25th will then be announced as our group read for the following month.

I hope you all will participate by making suggestions, voting and by reading and discussing with us! Please feel free to start a thread on a topic you would like to discuss about bodice rippers, other books, or anything else you want to talk about with the group!

My hope is to have an active and fun group! If you have any suggestions about what you would like to see happen in this group please let me know! Post your suggestions here or PM me! I would love to hear what you have to say!

I am counting on all of you to help our group grow! I hope you will invite your friends or anyone you think might be interested to join!

Thank you all for joining and reading with me!!!

XOXOXO
Jennefer

What exactly makes a book a "bodice ripper?" While I'm sure the bodice must be ripped at some point, is there a more specific reason they are called such?

from Wikipedia "The success of these novels prompted a new style of writing romance, concentrating primarily on historical fiction tracking the monogamous relationship between a helpless heroine and the hero who rescued her, even if he had been the one to place her in danger. The covers of these novels tended to feature scantily clad women being grabbed by the hero, and caused the novels to be referred to as "bodice-rippers." A Wall St. Journal article in 1980 referred to these bodice rippers as "publishing's answer to the Big Mac: They are juicy, cheap, predictable, and devoured in stupefying quantities by legions of loyal fans.""
Also gives definition
another definition :)

Wow! Thanks, Pamela. I'm going to investigate those links!

UniquelyMoi *~*Dhestiny*~* wrote: "What exactly makes a book a "bodice ripper?" While I'm sure the bodice must be ripped at some point, is there a more specific reason they are called such?"


I think different people might have slightly different ideas about what a "bodice ripper" is. Some people (probably not romance readers) would call all romance novels "bodice rippers".

When I think "bodice ripper" I think of a romance story of epic proportions (lots of drama, lots of emotional up and downs) with a very possessive and demanding hero. He may or may not actually rip her bodice but he is pushy and demanding and she more than likely hates him in the beginning but he just keeps after her anyway.

Let's face it, though. Many of those books did have a lot of bodices ripped :)

Acornn wrote: "I give 1995 as the cut-off date for a bodice ripper."

I agree. It was around this time that I started to lose interest in the romance genre because the style was changing and not as rip-roaring as it used to be. :)

Acornn,
I agree with your description the most. Here is a question I pose to the group. While I like to read older books like this I also love to read newer books with similar themes, alpha hero, may or may not like the h at first, violence towards the h, and ultimatly a happy ending. Can anybody recommend newer books that fit that. This is going to sound so bad but one of my favorite themes in books is a strong man, that comes down and helps a woman in distress (i.e. stalker, abusive ex, rape) because he is the ultimate "alpha" guy he can take on and "fix" anything. That is actually a hard theme to come by to be honest and for me if it fits that description I would still classify it a contemporary bodice ripper.

So can any of you offer up suggestions for new ones as well as old ones of course. On the newer books I would prefer not to have a historical based themeI don't like them as much as I do the classics. Ok you guys can tell me to leave if you want (ducking)

Check out Anna Campbell, Jennifer. She definitely writes old school. You might also like Melody Thomas.

I have to be honest. The newer romances are kind of bland and uninteresting, b/c they don't have the drama quotient of the old books. I don't like manhoes or cheating heroes, violent hero rape, or slavery (why I avoid Civil War/Antebellum setting) in my books, but I miss a lot of the old storylines.

Jennifer wrote: "...Ok you guys can tell me to leave if you want (ducking) ..."

LOL You can stay Jennifer! We are glad to have you here!

Thanks Danielle, I will check her them out right now....

YW!

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "b/c they don't have the drama quotient of the old books"

This. I do love me some drama. :) I think the carp about the absurd situations those old Hs and hs got into sort of put a stranglehold on the more melodramatic aspects of the genre.

I love melodrama! One of my favorite films is the silent with Greta Garbo, which is as engrossing and emotional as any of the classic bodice rippers. Passion, adultery, exile, duels, you name it! It's on DVD, so if you're interested, check it out!

Karla, you might enjoy the Harlequin Presents books. They are chock full of drama!

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Karla, you might enjoy the Harlequin Presents books. They are chock full of drama!"

I can't work up any interest in contemporaries, though. :( I've tried!

I'd like to post a Name This Book query but can't locate a thread to do it in. Am I missing it, or is there an alternate place I can post it?

UniquelyMoi *~*Dhestiny*~* wrote: "I'd like to post a Name This Book query but can't locate a thread to do it in. Am I missing it, or is there an alternate place I can post it?"

You can start a thread in the "Help! Looking for..." folder.


Everyone feel free to start a thread on any topic you like in whatever seems like the most appropriate folder. If it seems out of place I will just move it for you or start a new folder that fits :) No biggie!

Thanks, Jennefer. I started a thread and listed the 'tags' in the title. Hopefully someone will know.

UniquelyMoi *~*Dhestiny*~* wrote: "Thanks, Jennefer. I started a thread and listed the 'tags' in the title. Hopefully someone will know."


You are very welcome! :) Hopefully you will find what you are looking for.

Hi! I am just learning my way around this website and what a great group to find! I literally grew up on bodice rippers, reading my first historical at age 12, Escape Not My Love, by Elaine Coffman.
Then I discovered Johanna Lindsey, Rosemary Rogers, and Rebecca Brandewyne and later Bertrice Small and Laurie McBain. Lately I have been reading some Valerie Sherwood novels which have to be the most "bodice ripper" of all. To be honest, historicals and Harlequin Presents (especially older ones) are mostly what I read as far as romance goes. I just can't get into other romance genres.

Hi all :) Great group and great idea about the monthly book...should be fun!

Wendy, I love the Harlequin Presents books!

Karla wrote: "Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Karla, you might enjoy the Harlequin Presents books. They are chock full of drama!"

I can't work up any interest in contemporaries, though. :( I've tried!"

--I can respect that. I'm more of historical and paranormal girl, myself. I love the series romances, though.

Jennifer wrote: "Acornn,
I agree with your description the most. Here is a question I pose to the group. While I like to read older books like this I also love to read newer books with similar themes, alpha her..."

This is just my observation, so I can be wrong.

It seems that the alpha male hero of the early historical novels have moved over to the paranormal genre, and the contemporary romance has become 'politically correct' with the more sensitive, beta heroes.

I guess, in today's modern climate, the character needs to be a vamp, a were or a fae, or some sort of supernatural creature, then he is allowed all the aggressive, dominating, and chest-thumping, "you-are-mine" attitude, (which used to be the standard fare in typical romance), and be excused because he is not plain human.

That's an excellent observation, Yz. It's interesting that I prefer paranormals over contemporaries. :)

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Wendy, I love the Harlequin Presents books!"

Like I said, I love the oldies: Anne Hampson, Charlotte Lamb, Emma Darcy and Anne Mather. New faves are Miranda Lee, Michelle Reid and Lynne Grahame. I haven't picked up a new one in a while, though.

Yz the Whyz wrote: "...This is just my observation, so I can be wrong.

It seems that the alpha male hero of the early historical novels have moved over to the paranormal genre, and the contemporary romance has become 'politically correct' with the more sensitive, beta heroes. ..."

I think you are right on the money Yz! I have noticed this too. It is not that these types of heros and story lines are not written anymore, they are just taking on a different form now (and are still just as popular as they always were).

In Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels the girls talk about how forced seduction is still very present in popular romance novels but now it takes on the form of the heroine being "turned" against her will (like to a vampire or whatever). I thought that was an interesting take on the subject.

I consider myself, as one of the few or many females, depending on who I'm talking to, that enjoys 'forced seduction' or 'ravishment' storylines. Such kind of plotlines appeals greatly to most women, since 'seduction or ravishment' is a very common female fantasy,(again I'm generalizing...since I'm pretty aware that there are women who hates any hint of 'force' in a sexual context), and that is why, when authors couldn't write it anymore in the contemporary context (afraid of feminist disapproval), it found a different venue where such scenes are acceptable. I don't think such type of storyline will every disappear, simply reinvented, because there will always be readers who 'like' it.

Yz the Whyz wrote: "I consider myself, as one of the few or many females, depending on who I'm talking to, that enjoys 'forced seduction' or 'ravishment' storylines. Such kind of plotlines appeals greatly to most wome..."

I'm raising my hand. I like them too, Yz.

Jeanine wrote: Me too, Me too! And you know what I find interesting - the same women who like paranormal romances (generally speaking from my own experiences) tend to be the first ones to trash my bodice ripper reading material! Damn hypocrites! :)
..."

LOL...maybe its because they have no idea that their fave vampire or were is just a rip-off from the seductive rake, aggresive pirate or barbaric Viking of the earlier romance novels. : )

Yz the Whyz wrote: "...LOL...maybe its because they have no idea that their fave vampire or were is just a rip-off from the seductive rake, aggresive pirate or barbaric Viking of the earlier romance novels. : ) ..."

Again I think you are right on the money there Yz!

I confess that I like them too. To a degree, that is. I have read a few that go too far for my particular taste. I'm not into the adulterous ones though.

I don't care for the paranormal genre for some reason, though. Vampires and shapeshifters just don't have that appeal to me :) But we all have our own taste and we will all like what we like and I am happy for everyone :)

Wendy wrote: "Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Wendy, I love the Harlequin Presents books!"

Like I said, I love the oldies: Anne Hampson, Charlotte Lamb, Emma Darcy and Anne Mather. New faves are Miranda Le..."

Wendy, Miranda Lee is my fave HP author. Charlotte Lamb is the one of the first romance authors I ever read

I have a fondness for the BRs because of their epic scale, which u dont find in most of the HRs now a days, but I never liked the violence and the relentless degradation of the heroine, even when I was a teen reading them b/c there wasnt that many choices back then. I am very prone to nightmares from the littliest things. *shrugs*

For those who liked CLAIMING THE COURTESAN, I know a new author debuting late this yr who is gonna remind people of Campbell and Bertrice Small. Let me know if u want her name.

I loved the adventure in the BR. That's actually what got me into HR. I don't like to see the heroine degraded or abused, either. I shy away from the BR's that are more along those lines. I did like A Pirate's Love, but I hate the rape scenes.

You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom! I don't know about you guys, but I just have to laugh reading some of these contemporaries and how the author works in the 'putting on of the condom' into the scene. Sheesh. In the real world, yes, in my romance novels? No thanks.

KimKirt wrote: "You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom! I don't know about you guys, but I just have to laugh reading some of these contemporarie..."

LOL! You know, that "putting on the condom" scene in contemporaries lets me know that the hero is not selfish or stupid so I think it is appropriate in those... but I agree, I would rather read a historical and avoid it! LOL

KimKirt wrote: "You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom! I don't know about you guys, but I just have to laugh reading some of these contemporarie..."

Some authors are excessive about the safe-sex PSA. It's a reason why I like historicals more, as well.

KimKirt wrote: "You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom!"

I'd love to come across a historical where the hero is srs bsns about STDs and pregnancy and stuff and whips out an animal bladder condom, or one made of silk. Historically accurate! But then the heroine would have to be anachronistically forward-thinking and say that she thinks something less porous would be better and she thinks those nifty little rubber tree plants her uncle in the tropics once told her about at a dinner a few years ago would be perfect material...

Karla wrote: "KimKirt wrote: "You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom!"

I'd love to come across a historical where the hero is srs bsns about S..."

LOL!

Jeanine wrote: "Karla wrote: "KimKirt wrote: "You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom!"

I'd love to come across a historical where the hero is sr..."

So what are the whore's tricks? Do tell. I've read a historical where the heroine used a pessary with a string on it. I've also seen the heroine use sponges soaked in alcohol.

Heh, I remember in Adora, she's told to keep her legs tight and up and in the air after the act so that the sultan's "seed will take root" or something like that. Usually procreation is the main goal of the nefarious nasties.

Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "So what are the whore's tricks?"

I read some old Victorian porn where they immediately peed or douched afterwards.

lots of historicals with BC. Most of Susan Johnson HRs have them using a dutch cap or condom. Some of Judith Ivory = condom. The heroes in Diane Whiteside's Devil series are never w/o an endless supply of condoms. Lots of condom use in Sabrina Jeffries School for Heiress series.

Robin Schone is fond of the sponge method in her bks.

Hi everyone! My name is Cita - I love to get new recs from Paranormal, Fantasy and Historical romances. I don’t mind low spicy levels but prefer them steamy.

Currently into dark romances�� don’t mind dark dark but it must have a HEA.

Please feel free to message me privately and add me as a friend.

Thanks 🫶🏼